Aqueous humour concentrations after topical apPlication of combinEd levofloxacin-dexamethasone eye dRops and of its single components: a randoMised, assEssor-blinded, parallel-group study in patients undergoing cataract surgery: the iPERME study

PURPOSE: To evaluate the penetration of levofloxacin and dexamethasone sodium phosphate into the aqueous humour (AH) after administration in combination and as single molecules. Evaluation of the penetration of those agents in the site of action and their pharmacodynamic potential activity in view of the intended clinical use after cataract surgery. METHODS: Randomised, assessor-blinded, parallel-group. Patients scheduled for cataract surgery were assigned in a 1:1:1 ratio to: levofloxacin + dexamethasone sodium phosphate (L-DSP), Levofloxacin (L) or Dexamethasone sodium phosphate (DSP) eye drops. Either test or reference drugs were instilled in the cul-de-sac twice, 90 and 60 min before paracentesis. RESULTS: A total of 125 patients completed the study. Fraction of dose absorbed in the anterior chamber was 3.8–4.2 · 10(−4) for levofloxacin and 0.3–0.4 · 10(−4) for dexamethasone, respectively. No notable differences in concentration of levofloxacin were found between L-DSP arm (1.970 nmol/ml) and L arm (2.151 nmol/ml). The concentrations of levofloxacin were well above the MICs for the most frequent Gram-positive and Gram-negative eye pathogens. Dexamethasone concentrations were slightly lower in L-DSP arm (0.030 nmol/ml) than in DSP arm (0.042 nmol/ml), but still in the pharmacodynamically active range in the site of action. The difference was not clinically relevant. DSP was not detected in any HA sample, suggesting its full hydrolysis to free dexamethasone. CONCLUSION: Our results confirm that no interaction is evident on the corneal penetration of levofloxacin and dexamethasone which reach pharmacologically active concentrations when instilled as fixed combination eye drops to patients undergoing cataract surgery. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03740659 ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1007/s00228-020-02863-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.