European Journal of Ophthalmology / Vol. 6/ no. 2, 1996/ pp. 192-196
Effects and side effects of mydriatic eyedrops In neonates
M.S. DGUT " N. BOZKURT " E. DZEK 2, H. BiRGEN 2 , H. KAZOKOGLU " M. DGUT 3
1 Departments of Ophthalmology and 2 Pediatrics 3 Marmara University Faculty of Medicine, Haydarpasa Numune Hospital, Istanbul - Turkey
ABSTRACT: The pupils of neonates and premature infants often need to be dilated for retinal examination. The drops used for this purpose have some known side effects. This study investigated the effects and side effects of these drops. In this prospective randomized study, 80 healthy neonates were randomly assigned to eight groups . In Group A 1 % cyclopentolate was used; in Group B 1 % tropicamide; in Group C
2.5% phenylephrine; in Group D 1 % cyclopentolate and 1 % tropicamide; in Group E 2.5% phenylephrine and 1 % tropicamide; in Group F 0.5% cyclopentolate, 0.5% tropicamide and 2.5% phenylephrine; in Group. G 1% cyclopentolate and 2.5% phenylephrine and in Group H 0.9% NaCI. Heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressures were recorded before, and 5, 10, 15, 30, 45, 60 minutes after instillation of the drops. Pupillary size was measured at baseline, 30 and 60 minutes. To stimulate the conditions of indirect ophthalmoscopic examination, the pupil sizes were measured under the intense beam of a halogen light. The results were analyzed statistically. Maximum side effects were seen in group C; the safest was group B and maximum mydriasis was achieved in group F. (Eur J Ophthalmol 1996; 6: 192-6)
KEY WORD: Neonates, Mydriatic eye-drops
INTRODUCTION
The pupils of newborns often need to be dilated for fundoscopic examination in order to detect various pathologies including retinopathy of prematurity, congenital infections, congenital cataracts, neurological syndromes and retinal abnormalities associated with dysmorphic syndromes. Maximum mydriasis is necessary for adequate indirect ophthalmoscopy, especially in premature infants, to allow the diagnosis and grading of retinopathy of prematurity.
Drugs that are innocuous in adults and safe in children may be dangerous when administered to small intants. Cyclopentolate, phenylephrine and tropicamide are currently in use for mydriasis. There have been various reports about effects and side effects of the eye drops (1-20). Drugs with anticholinergic and adrener-
1120-6721/192-05 $02.5010
gic effects have some cardiovascular side effects (1, 2). Arterial hypertension is a risk factor for intracranial hemorrhage, especially in premature infants (3, 4). Phenylephrine has been associated with adverse systemic effects such as hypertension, subarachnoid hemorrhage, cardiac arrhytmias and death. Cyclopentolate has central nervous system side effects (5-11) .
The aim of this study was to propose a safe and effective eye drop or combination of drops for clinical use.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Groups
Eighty healthy neonates ranging in gestational age from 37-41 weeks (mean 39.4), birth weights 2950-
© by Wichtig Editore, 1996
Ogut et al
3600 g (mean 3150.5) were divided into eight groups of ten; 160 eyes of 80 neonates were examined for dilatation.
Mydriatic agents
Group A was given 1 % cyclopentolate; Group B 1 % tropicamide; Group C 2.5% phenylephrine; Group D 1 % cyclopentolate and 1 % tropicamide; Group E 2.5% phenylephrine and 1 % tropicamide; Group F 0.5% cyclopentolate, 0.5% tropicamide and 2.5% phenylephrine; Group G 1 % cyclopentolate and 2.5% phenylephrine and Group H 0.9% NaCI.
In groups A, Band C, two drops were instilled, 5 minutes apart. In Group F one drop of each medication was given 5 minutes apart. In the other groups one drop of each medication was placed in each eye at 5-min intervals. In group H two drops of 0.9% NaCI were placed in each eye at 5-rnin intervals . To minimize transcutaneous absorption any excess fluid was wiped away from the periocular area. Group H received only saline solution and served as a control group.
Pupilla ry size
This measurement was carried out immediately before the first instillation of mydriatics and then 30 and 60 minutes after the last drops. The lighting in the room was kept constant throughout the examination. Pupil sizes were measured with a small plastic ruler in ambient lighting for the first three measurements and under the intense beam of a halogen transilluminator at the 60-min measurement to simulate the conditions of indirect ophthalmoscopic examination.
Blood pressure and heart rate
For the calculations in this study, we used mean systolic and diastolic pressures. Blood pressures (BP) and heart rate (HR) were measured by oscillometry (Neonatal DINAMAP 8100, Critikon Inc.) starting 15 minutes before the first instillation. In this period a total of four measurements were taken and their average was used as baseline. Later measurements were taken 5, 10, 15, 30, 45 and 60 minutes after the last instillation. No measurement was taken within the first 5 minutes after the last drop. It was thought that handling the babies in that time might give false results
and might lead to misinterpretations. The neonatal cuff was left in place throughout the study to ensure uniformity of measurement. Infants were handled as little as possible and all observations were made by one investigator in the same room.
Statistics
Differences in the mean BP and HR for the eight groups at baseline and 5, 10, 15, 30, 45 and 60 minutes were evaluated with Kruskal-Wallis test. The same test was used for the seven groups other than the control group, to analyze the differences in mean pupil sizes at baseline, 30 minutes, 60 minutes and with light.
RESULTS
Mydriatic effect
Table I shows the mean pupil sizes of each group at the beginning of the study, at 30 and 60 minutes and with light. Changes from baseline to 30 minutes were not significant. The mean net dilatation was 4.3 mm in group F at 60 min and this was the largest change. The mean net dilatation was 4.1 mm in group D, 4.0 mm in group G, 3.9 mm in group E, 3.8 mm in group A and 3.5 mm in group C. The smallest dilatation was in group B (mean 2.9 mm). The smallest pupillary size with light was also in group B (mean 4.2 mm). The differences between group B and groups E, F and G were significant.
Blood pressure and heart rate
Mean systolic and diastolic blood pressures are shown in Tables II and III and mean heart rates in Table IV. Baseline values were the same in all groups. There was a significant difference in systolic BP between group C and the control group but no changes between the control group and groups B, D and F. Diastolic BP in group C was significantly different from the control group but there were no differences between controls and groups Band D. HR in group C was significantly different from controls but there was no difference between groups B, D, F and G.
Compared to the control group, Band D were the safest whereas group C showed the maximum side effects.
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Effects and side effects of mydriatic eye drops in neonates
TABLE I - MEAN PUPILLARY DIAMETERS
Group A Group B Group C Group 0 Group E Group F Group G (20 eyes) (20 eyes) (20 eyes) (20 eyes) (20 eyes) (20 eyes) (20 eyes)
Baseline 2.1 ± 0.31 2.3 ± 0.48 2.2 ± 0.42 2.1 ± 0.31 2.3 ± 0.48 2.31 ± 0.31 2.3 ± 0.54
30 min 4.4 ± 0.51 4.2 ± 0.42 4.3 ± 0.48 4.5 ± 0.52 4.6 ± 0.51 4.7 ± 0.48 4.9 ± 0.73
60 min 5.9 ± 0.56 5.2 ± 0.63 5.7 ± 0.67 6.2 ± 0.63 6.2 ± 0.63 6.4 ± 0.69 6.3 ± 0.67
Light 5.2 ± 0.91 4.2 ± 0.78 4.7 ± 0.67 5.7 ± 0.94 5.8 ± 1.03 6.1 ± 0.99 6.1 ± 0.73
Group A: 1 % cyclopentolate; Group B: 1 % tropicamide; Group C: 2.5% phenylephrine ; Group 0: 1 % cyclopentolate and 1 % tropicamide; Group E: 2.5% phenylephrine and 1 % tropicamide; Group F: 0.5% cyclopentolate, 0.5% tropicamide and 2.5% phenylephrine; Group G: 1 % cyclopentolate and 2.5% phenylephrine; Group H: 0.9% NaCI
TABLE II - MEAN SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURES
Baseline 5 min 10 min 15 min 30 min 45 min 60 min
Group A 65.4 ± 11 .8 68.5 ± 5.58 70 ± 2.82 69.2 ± 2.09 67 ± 2.21 61 ± 3.65 71.3 ± 3.97
Group B 65.5 ± 7.53 66.7 ± 4.42 64 ± 3.85 64.5 ± 2.87 61.1 ± 3.60 59.7 ± 3.23 70.9 ± 3.10
Group C 61 .5 ± 7.38 66.5 ± 5.54 73.2 ± 3.61 71.9 ± 3.03 69.2 ± 2.86 60.8 ± 3.08 70.7 ± 2.71
Group 0 64 .4 ± 6.62 64.6 ± 3.71 67.8 ± 2.25 68.2 ± 2.70 64.2 ± 3.25 58.3 ± 4.27 70.3 ± 4.32
Group E 61 .7 ± 4.66 67.3 ± 4.05 70.3 ± 4.05 - 69.1 ± 2.23 67.6 ± 1.95 60.9 ± 4.43 70.3 ± 3.09
Group F 65.3 ± 7.91 66.1 ± 5.48 67.1 ± 2.37 64.7 ± 3.02 61 .8 ± 3.49 57.8 ± 3.55 70.5 ± 3.65
Group G 62 ± 5.47 66.3 ± 3.56 68.4 ± 3.27 69.2 ± 2.97 62.1 ± 3.98 58.8 ± 3.12 70.9 ± 3.66
Group H 63.9 ± 5.32 65.3 ± 3.65 61 ± 5.67 61 .8 ± 4.46 57.1 ± 4.38 55.3 ± 3.80 57.9 ± 4.84
TABLE III - MEAN DIASTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURES
Baseline 5 min 10 min 15 min 30 min 45 min 60 min
Group A 33.2 ± 2.34 35.7 ± 1.70 38.9 ± 1.79 37.8 ± 2.39 34.5 ± 2.01 31 .8±1.39 34.1 ± 1.66
Group B 33.9 ± 3.41 35.1 ± 1.79 34.4 ± 2.17 31 .9 ± 1.72 30.9 ± 1.66 30.2 ± 1.22 32.5 ± 1.43
Group C 33.8 ± 2.53 36.5 ± 1.95 39 ± 2.58 38.7 ± 1.88 36.3 ± 1.88 33.6 ± 1.77 34.7 ± 1.33
Group 0 33 ± 2.30 35.9 ± 2.28 34.3 ± 2.00 34.2 ± 2.04 31 .1 ± 1.59 30.5 ± 1.26 33.5 ± 1.50
Group E 33.3 ± 2.83 35.5 ± 1.95 33.4 ± 3.34 35.7 ± 2.54 34.3 ± 2.05 33.2 ± 1.61 33.7 ± 1.70
Group F 35.2 ± 2.71 36.5 ± 1.50 36.6 ± 1.71 31 .9±1.85 33.1 ±2.18 30.7 ± 1.63 33.6 ± 1.57
Group G 37.5 ± 3.20 34.6 ± 2.63 35 ± 2.35 37.1 ± 3.54 34.3 ± 2.75 31 .1 ± 2.55 33.6 ± 2.41
Group H 34 .9 ± 3.38 30.9 ± 2.02 30.7 ± 1.49 30.9 ± 1.91 30.9 ± 1.85 29.6±1 .17 29.8 ± 1.39
TABLE IV - MEAN HEART RATES
Baseline 5 min 10 min 15 min 30 min 45 min 60 min
Group A 116 ± 7.61 117.9 ± 9.91 125 ± 10.04 118.8 ± 6.82 113 ± 4.34 111.7±3.46 123.2 ± 9.11
Group B 120.9 ± 9.65 119.2 ± 14.79 112.1 ± 6.74 108.6 ± 6.38 106.2 ± 3.29 106.2 ± 5.71 123 ± 7.55
Group C 114.2 ± 9.56 120 ± 8.27 129.8 ± 7.30 125.9 ± 7.01 117.4 ± 5.31 114.8 ± 3.82 125.9 ± 8.77
Group 0 115.4 ± 6.38 108.4 ± 13.12 112.2 ± 8.56 111.8 ± 5.13 107.8 ± 5.26 104.7 ± 4.21 125.3 ± 7.86
Group E 115 ± 8.91 123 ± 9.51 116.9 ± 3.07 117.7 ± 6.36 112.9 ± 3.84 110.4 ± 4.69 122.4 ± 7.19
Group F 112.7 ± 10.46 105.8 ± 4.79 105.8 ± 4.41 107.5 ± 5.06 106.2 ± 4.44 108.6 ± 6.88 123.1 ± 6.85
Group G 111 .6 ± 7.21 109 ± 6.63 109.3 ± 5.39 113 ± 7.14 107.3 ± 4.80 109.1 ± 5.46 116.7 ± 5.79
Group H 107.1 ±6.02 106.9 ± 6.57 104.2 ± 6.30 103.6 ± 4.06 104.9 ± 5.34 105.8 ± 6.12 103.4 ± 4.67
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DISCUSSION
Various eye drops can be used to dilate pupils in neonates. A sympathomimetic agent such as phenylephrine to stimulate the dilator pupillae muscle, a parasympatholytic agent such as cyclopentolate or tropicamide to inhibit the sphincter pupillae muscle, or both can be used. Systemic effects of mydriatic eye drops have been described widely (1-20). These medications can enter the systemic circulation through the capillaries of the eye or the lacrimal drainage system. Absorption may occur through the nasal mucosa or the gastrointestinal tract (1). The ideal eye drop should achieve maximal mydriasis with the greatest safety margin.
Intracranial bleeding is one of the leading causes of mortality in preterm infants and arterial hypertension is regarded as a risk factor for intracranial hemorrhage, especially in premature infants (12). Adrenergic and anticholinergic mydriatic drugs may exert cardiovascular side effects (1). Cyclopentolate~ may induce central nervous system side effects such as psychotic reactions and epilepsy (5-11), and also gastrointestinal side effects (13) .•
The first report on reactive hypertension after application of 10% phenylephrine (PE) in an adult was published in 1956 (14). According to Borromeo-McGrail (2), with 10% PE a significant blood pressure rise was noted and the mydriatic effect of 2.5% and 10% PE was the same. Controversial res~lts have been reported about 2.5% PE as regards the cardiovasc~.Jar . side effects (15-18).
Our results showed that administration of 2 drops of 2.5% PE was followed by significant increases es-
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