Tweet
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22489894
Acta Ophthalmol. 2012 Apr 10. doi: 10.1111/j.1755-3768.2011.02338.x. [Epub ahead of print]
Benzalkonium chloride induces anterior chamber inflammation in previously untreated patients with ocular hypertension as measured by flare meter: a randomized clinical trial.
Stevens AM, Kestelyn PA, De Bacquer D, Kestelyn PG.
Source
Department of Ophthalmology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium Department of Public Health, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
Abstract
Purpose:
The deleterious effects of benzalkonium chloride (BAK) on the ocular surface are well known. However, few clinical data are available to prove a toxic effect at the level of the anterior chamber. The laser flare meter is a reliable tool to detect low levels of inflammation in the anterior chamber. We wanted to know whether instillation of BAK-preserved timolol in one eye would result in higher laser flare values than the instillation of preservative-free timolol in the fellow eye.
Methods:
Randomized prospective, single-masked clinical trial. Twenty-eight untreated patients with ocular hypertension were recruited. After obtaining baseline flare values, we randomly assigned one eye to BAK-preserved timolol and the fellow eye to preservative-free timolol. After 1 month, flare measurements were repeated.
Results:
There was a significant increase in the flare values in the two treatment regimens, but the increase in the BAK-treated eyes was higher than in the preservative-free treated eyes, and this difference in increase was statistically significant.
Conclusion:
This is the first study to show that short-term BAK administration produces inflammation in the anterior segment of previously untreated patients whose blood-aqueous barrier was not affected by recent intraocular surgery.
Acta Ophthalmol. 2012 Apr 10. doi: 10.1111/j.1755-3768.2011.02338.x. [Epub ahead of print]
Benzalkonium chloride induces anterior chamber inflammation in previously untreated patients with ocular hypertension as measured by flare meter: a randomized clinical trial.
Stevens AM, Kestelyn PA, De Bacquer D, Kestelyn PG.
Source
Department of Ophthalmology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium Department of Public Health, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
Abstract
Purpose:
The deleterious effects of benzalkonium chloride (BAK) on the ocular surface are well known. However, few clinical data are available to prove a toxic effect at the level of the anterior chamber. The laser flare meter is a reliable tool to detect low levels of inflammation in the anterior chamber. We wanted to know whether instillation of BAK-preserved timolol in one eye would result in higher laser flare values than the instillation of preservative-free timolol in the fellow eye.
Methods:
Randomized prospective, single-masked clinical trial. Twenty-eight untreated patients with ocular hypertension were recruited. After obtaining baseline flare values, we randomly assigned one eye to BAK-preserved timolol and the fellow eye to preservative-free timolol. After 1 month, flare measurements were repeated.
Results:
There was a significant increase in the flare values in the two treatment regimens, but the increase in the BAK-treated eyes was higher than in the preservative-free treated eyes, and this difference in increase was statistically significant.
Conclusion:
This is the first study to show that short-term BAK administration produces inflammation in the anterior segment of previously untreated patients whose blood-aqueous barrier was not affected by recent intraocular surgery.
Comment