SCIENTIFIC CORRESPONDENCE

Vitreous penetration of levofloxacin in the uninflamed phakic human eye

E N Herbert, I A Pearce, J McGalliard, D Wong and C Groenewald

St Paul's Eye Unit, 8Z Link, Royal Liverpool University Hospital, Liverpool L7 8XP, UK

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Dr Herbert;
enherbert{at}doctors.org.uk

Aims: To assess the vitreous penetration of oral levofloxacin (a new fluoroquinolone antibiotic with improved Gram positive activity) in uninflamed phakic eyes.

Methods: 15 patients for macula hole surgery were recruited to the study. 10 received a single 500 mg dose of levofloxacin by mouth preoperatively. Five acted as controls. Serum and undiluted vitreous samples were obtained at surgery and analysed by HPLC.

Results: Levofloxacin was detectable 2.5 hours after administration in the vitreous. A peak concentration of 1.6 µg/ml (or mg/l) was measured between 2.5 and 4 hours post-dose.

Conclusion: Oral levofloxacin reaches the vitreous rapidly in the uninflamed phakic eye. Levels did not reach MIC₉₀ for the commonest infecting organisms. Nevertheless, levofloxacin would be expected to be active against a higher proportion of infecting organisms than either ciprofloxacin or ofloxacin.

Keywords: vitreous penetration; levofloxacin; phakic human eye

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