[Concentrations of diclofenac in aqueous humor and in plasma after i.v. injection in 59 patients undergoing cataract surgery--a prospective study].

BACKGROUND

The mean diclofenac level in the aqueous humor after i.v.-injection should be examined as an example for other systemic applied drugs. The clinical effect is to be evaluated with regard to perioperative anti-inflammatory therapy in patients undergoing cataract surgery.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In this prospective clinical study 59 patients (age 41-86 years) scheduled for phacoemulsification by the tunnel technique, received 75 mg diclofenac-sodium by short time i.v.-infusion (30 min) within an interval between 30 min and 7 h before surgery. Aqueous humor samples and one blood sample were taken at the beginning, and a second blood sample was taken at different time intervals before surgery.

RESULTS

The plasma concentration of diclofenac one minute after infusion was 13,961 +/- 4277 ng/ml. The concentration decreased rapidly during the distribution phase (1305 +/- 324 ng/ml after 40 min) and reached after 336 min 419 +/- 277 ng/ml. A concentration of 83.9 ng/ml diclofenac was found for the last sampling point after 353 min in the elimination phase. The mean diclofenac concentration in the aqueous humor reached after about 60 min the highest level (21.7 +/- 12.7 ng/ml). This level decreases to 4.4 +/- 0.4 ng/ml (120 min) and 3.1 +/- 1.3 ng/ml (300 min), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The calculated mean residence time of diclofenac molecules in aqueous humor of 123 min matched the mean disposition residence time of diclofenac in the body (119 min).