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Abstract #27069 Published in IGR 12-4
Efficacy of brimonidine in preventing intraocular pressure spikes following phacoemulsification in glaucoma patients.
Kandarakis A; Soumplis V; Karampelas M; Panos C; Kyriakos N; Baxevanakis A; Karagiannis DEuropean Journal of Ophthalmology 2010; 20: 994-999
PURPOSE: To measure intraocular pressure (IOP) elevation 6 and 24 hours after phacoemulsification in patients with glaucoma and to investigate the efficacy of brimonidine tartrate 0.2% in preventing IOP rise on the first postoperative day following cataract surgery. METHODS: In this prospective randomized single-masked study, 86 eyes of 78 patients with well-controlled open-angle glaucoma were scheduled for phacoemulsification surgery. Patients were randomly assigned into 2 groups. Group A received 1 drop of brimonidine tartrate 0.2% and group B, which served as a control group, received 1 drop of artificial tears. Intraocular pressure was measured at baseline, before surgery, and 6 and 24 hours postoperatively. RESULTS: Within each group, we found a statistically significant difference in IOP between baseline and 6 hours postoperatively (p<0.01) and between 6 and 24 hours (p<0.01). There was no statistically significant difference between baseline IOP and 24-hour values. Comparing the 2 groups, there was no statistically significant difference in preoperative and 24-hour postoperative IOP. Six hours after surgery, the mean IOP in the brimonidine group was 18.52±4.58 mmHg, compared with 20.86±3.79 mmHg in the control group. Treatment with brimonidine tartrate 0.2% significantly reduced postoperative IOP elevation 6 hours following cataract extraction (p=0.009). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with medically well-controlled glaucoma may experience a substantial increase in IOP shortly after phacoemulsification surgery. Instillation of brimonidine tartrate 0.2%, although it significantly reduced IOP elevation following cataract operation, did not completely prevent IOP spikes.
1st Ophthalmology Department, Ophthalmiatrion Eye Hospital of Athens, Sina 2, Athens, Greece. artemiskandarakis@yahoo.gr
Classification:
11.3.3 Apraclonidine, brimonidine (Part of: 11 Medical treatment > 11.3 Adrenergic drugs)
12.12.3 Phacoemulsification (Part of: 12 Surgical treatment > 12.12 Cataract extraction)
