COMPARATIVE PHARMACOKINETICS OF CIPROFLOXACIN, OFLOXACIN AND PEFLOXACIN IN HUMAN AQUEOUS-HUMOR

Eighty-five patients undergoing cataract surgery were given for prophy laxis of intraocular infection two intravenous doses each of 200 mg, 3 00 mg or 400 mg ciprofloxacin (35 patients), 400 mg or 800 mg pefloxac in (30 patients), or 400 mg ofloxacin (20 patients). Ciprofloxacin lev els in aqueous humour ranged from 0.02 to 0.50 mug/ml, pefloxacin leve ls from 1.04 to 7.80 mug/ml, and ofloxacin levels from 0.44 to 2.27 mu g/ml with ratios of aqueous humour to serum levels ranging from 3.8 % to 25 %, 21 % to 48.1 % and 44 % to 88.4 %, respectively. It is conclu ded that the quinolones studied might be suitable for surgical prophyl axis or treatment of anterior chamber infections due to Enterobacteria ceae, while ciprofloxacin at high doses is preferable for Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections.