title: Aqueous humor levels of topically applied levofloxacin, norfloxacin, and lomefloxacin in the same human eyes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the relative penetration of topical eyedrops of 3 fluoroquinolones into the aqueous humor in human eyes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Department of Ophthalmology, Sano-Kosei Hospital, Sano, Japan.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-nine cataract patients (36 women, 23 men) received 3 drops each of levofloxacin 0.5%, norfloxacin 0.3%, and lomefloxacin 0.3% in the same eye at 15-minute intervals beginning 90 minutes before cataract surgery. At the beginning of surgery, 50 microL of aqueous humor was aspirated from the anterior chamber and stored at -80 degrees C until analyzed. The drug concentrations in the samples were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Five patients were excluded from the study because their sample volumes were insufficient. Norfloxacin was detected in 3 patients; the mean aqueous humor level was 0.10 microg/mL +/- 0.02 (SD). Levofloxacin was detected in all cases; the mean aqueous humor level was 0.60 +/- 0.28 microg/mL (n = 54). Lomefloxacin was not detected in 10 patients; the mean aqueous humor level was 0.23 +/- 0.11 microg/mL (n = 44).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Topically applied levofloxacin had better penetration into the aqueous humor than lomefloxacin and norfloxacin.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Ophthalmology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan. yamadam@sc.itc.keio.ac.jp
authors.forename: Masakazu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mochizuki
authors.forename: Kyoko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.forename: Masataka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kawai
authors.forename: Yukihiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mashima
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D000892:Anti-Infective Agents, Urinary / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D001082:Aqueous Humor / Q000378:metabolism*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005260:Female; D024841:Fluoroquinolones / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D006801:Humans; D064704:Levofloxacin; D008297:Male; D009643:Norfloxacin / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D015242:Ofloxacin / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D015363:Quinolones / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D000892:Anti-Infective Agents, Urinary; D024841:Fluoroquinolones; D015363:Quinolones; D064704:Levofloxacin; D015242:Ofloxacin; C053091:lomefloxacin; D009643:Norfloxacin