Intraoperative floppy-iris syndrome associated with α1-adrenoreceptors. Comparison of tamsulosin and alfuzosin

Abstract

Purpose: To compare the incidence of intraoperative floppy-iris syndrome (IFIS) in men exposed to tamsulosin and men exposed to alfuzosin and evaluate the effect of IFIS on the complication rate of cataract surgery. Setting: Tertiary care hospital, Chicoutimi, Quebec, Canada. Methods: The medical charts of 64 men (92 eyes) who had phacoemulsification cataract surgery between June 2005 and July 2006 and reported having used tamsulosin or alfuzosin at their initial visit for cataract evaluation were reviewed. The presence or absence of IFIS, potential confounding clinical covariates, duration of surgery, and complications were noted. The history of taking an α1-antagonist was verified. To address the main objective of the study, only patients who had exclusively used tamsulosin or alfuzosin were included. For the secondary objective, all eligible patients were included even if they had received more than one α1-antagonist in the past. Results: Of men exclusively exposed to tamsulosin (22) or alfuzosin (13), 86.4% and 15.4%, respectively, developed IFIS (P