Abstract
Abstract: :
Purpose: To evaluate control of intraocular pressure (IOP) by echothiophate iodide, known commercially as phospholine iodide (PI), in glaucoma patients with aphakia and pseudophakia. Methods: 26 eyes with glaucoma and aphakia or pseudophakia uncontrolled by maximal tolerated medical therapy (MTMT) participated in the study. PI was added to MTMT in all eyes. In 17 eyes, PI was discontinued because it was no longer commercially available. Eight eyes were re–challenged with PI when a small amount of the drug was released for sale. IOP, side effects and complications were recorded at baseline, while on PI, upon discontinuation and after re–challenging with PI. Results: In all eyes, the mean IOP at baseline was 29.5±7.4 mmHg, became 17.7±5.1 mmHg upon the addition of PI (P=0.0001) and remained unchanged throughout the follow–up (median 24 months). In 17 eyes, the mean follow–up IOP on PI was 17.4±6.4 mmHg and increased to 27.2±8 mmHg on MTMT upon the discontinuation of PI. In 8 eyes, the mean IOP without PI was 28.1±6.8 mmHg, decreased to 13.9±5.2 mmHg on combined PI+MTMT (p=0.0001) throughout the follow–up (6 months) and increased to 26.4±5.5(p=0.001) upon the discontinuation of PI. The drug was well tolerated by all patients and there was no evidence of complications. Conclusions: Phospholine iodide can provide long–term glaucoma control in aphakia and pseudophakia when all other available medications fail. It is to be regretted that this drug is no longer commercially available.
Keywords: intraocular pressure