Inhibition of blood-aqueous humor barrier breakdown with diclofenac. A fluorophotometric study
M. C. Kraff, D. R. Sanders, L. McGuigan and M. G. Raanan
JFK Eye Institute, Chicago, IL 60634.
Various doses of a new topical nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agent,
diclofenac sodium, were tested against prednisolone sodium phosphate in a
randomized double-masked study to determine comparative efficacy and safety
regarding the reduction of postsurgical ocular inflammation. Inflammation
was assessed by measuring fluorescein leakage into the anterior chamber
using fluorophotometry techniques. Increased leakage in each patient's
operated-on eye compared with the unoperated-on control eye was attributed
to a breakdown in the blood-aqueous barrier caused by the cataract surgery.
Elimination or significant reduction of fluorescein leakage within a
treatment group constituted increased efficacy in controlling inflammation.
A total of 124 cases were analyzed. There were no preoperative differences
among groups in fluorescein leakage. At 1 week after surgery, all three
diclofenac groups had significantly less fluorescein leakage compared with
the prednisolone group. Mean percent increases were 56% to 118% in
diclofenac groups vs 324% in the prednisolone group. No differences among
diclofenac concentrations were detected. The differences between
prednisolone and diclofenac were also present, although of lesser
magnitude, at 3 weeks. This demonstration of increased efficacy of the
nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agent vs prednisolone is promising given the
known side effects of ocular steroids.
