Penetration of topically applied levofloxacin into eyes with thin-wall filtering bleb after trabeculectomy.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the comparative penetration of 0.3% levofloxacin eye drops into the aqueous humour between cataract patients with or without (control) thin-wall filtering blebs.


METHODS
One drop of 0.3% levofloxacin was administered to the eyes at 30-min intervals for 3.5 h before phacoemulcification for both groups. Aqueous humour samples (0.1-0.2 ml) were aspirated during surgery. The concentration of levofloxacin in the aqueous humour was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. The Student's t-test, Pearson correlation, and chi(2) test were used to compare the data of the two groups. A P<0.05 was required for results to be considered statistically significant.


RESULTS
The levofloxacin concentration in the aqueous humour was significantly increased (P<0.0001) in the bleb (mean+SD: 3.7+/-2.3 microg/ml) vscontrol group (0.4+/-0.2 microg/ml). Intraocular pressure and the bleb area were not correlated with levofloxacin concentration.


CONCLUSIONS
The presence of thin-wall filtering blebs increases intraocular penetration of topically administered levofloxacin.
Qiao
L Y
LY
Guangzhou Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yatsen University, Guangzhou, China.
Wang
N L
NL
Liang
Y B
YB
Zhu
S Q
SQ
Wan
X H
XH
Lee
P-Y
PY
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D001082:Aqueous Humor / Q000378:metabolism*; D002387:Cataract Extraction / Q000379:methods; D015818:Eye Infections, Bacterial / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D018463:Filtering Surgery; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D064704:Levofloxacin; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015242:Ofloxacin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D014130:Trabeculectomy
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D064704:Levofloxacin; D015242:Ofloxacin