Understanding and Enhancing Fluoroquinolone Potency: Advances and New Findings

Modern fluoroquinolones are widely used in the treatment and prevention of ocular infection. Although the efficacy of these antibiotics has been thought to result from factors such as minimum inhibitory concentration and molecular structure, recent findings have uncovered additional determinants of fluoroquinolone potency on the eye.

This newly published data challenges conventional thinking and provides new insights into the bacterial-killing mechanisms of modern topical fluoroquinolones. “Understanding and Enhancing Fluoroquinolone Potency: Advances and New Findings” will discuss the results of recent comparative studies, including the release of new genetic data, and relate these findings to the clinical practice. The goal of this enduring material is to raise awareness of this new information so that ophthalmologists can make more informed decisions when selecting ocular antibiotics.

Off-label Use Statement: This work discusses off-label uses of antiinfective medications.

Learning Objectives:

• List the pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic parameters most useful in predicting the efficacy of topical ocular fluoroquinolone antibiotics.
• Discuss the relative importance of ocular surface drug concentration vs intraocular drug concentration in surgical prophylaxis with topical agents.
• Describe the effects of excipients in the topical antibiotic formulation on at least two pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic parameters.

Faculty: William B. Trattler

Faculty Advisor: Marguerite B. McDonald, MD, FACS