Effect of intracameral use of dexamethasone on corneal endothelial cells.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effect of intracameral dexamethasone on corneal endothelium.


METHODS
Quasi experimental study.


METHODS
Layton Rehmatulla Benevolent Trust Eye Hospital, Lahore, from May 2011 to January 2012.


METHODS
Study subjects were adults of either gender with senile cataract who underwent phacoemulsification. They were divided in two groups, each had 110 patients. Group-A received subconjunctival injection of dexamethasone (2 mg/0.5 ml) at the end of surgery while group-B received intracameral injection of dexamethasone (0.4 mg/0.1 ml) at the end of surgery. Endothelial cell count was performed by specular microscopy pre-operatively and postoperatively at first week, first month and three months. Outcome measures included changes in endothelial cell count. Results were compared using t-test for means.


RESULTS
There were 55 (50%) males and 55 (50%) females in group-A and 44 (40%) males and 66 (60%) females in group-B. In group-A, there were 66 (60%) right and 44 (40%) left eyes while group-B had 62 (56.36%) right and 48 (43.63%) left eyes. Mean age in group-A was 55.17 ± 5.93 years and 54.87 ± 5.55 years in group-B. Mean phacoemulsification time in group-A was 1.92 ± 0.63 minutes and 1.82 ± 0.54 minutes in group-B. After 3 months, in group-A, there was 7.55 ± 1.19% endothelial cell loss while in group-B, there was 7.63 ± 1.10% endothelial cell loss. The difference between the two groups was not statistically significant (p=0.614).


CONCLUSIONS
Use of intracameral dexamethasone at the end of cataract surgery is safe for corneal endothelium.
Department of Ophthalmology, Rashid Latif Medical College, Ferozpur Road, Lahore.
Ahmad Zeeshan
AZ
Jamil
Department of Ophthalmology, LRBT Eye Hospital, Lahore.
Arslan
A
Ahmed
Department of Ophthalmology, LRBT Eye Hospital, Lahore.
Khurram Azam
KA
Mirza
D000368:Aged; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D002386:Cataract; D002387:Cataract Extraction; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D004728:Endothelium, Corneal / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D019654:Lens Implantation, Intraocular; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018918:Phacoemulsification / Q000379:methods*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D003907:Dexamethasone