The Effect of Enoxaparin-Containing Irrigation Fluid Used During Cataract Surgery on Postoperative Inflammation in Patients With Diabetes – Corrected Proof

Purpose: To investigate effects of enoxaparin on postoperative inflammation in patients with moderate nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) and nuclear cataract.Design: Prospective masked controlled trial.Methods: setting: Institutional practice. study population: The study included 51 eyes of 51 diabetes mellitus (DM) patients with moderate NPDR and grade 2-3 nuclear cataracts. Group 1 included randomly selected patients who received enoxaparin in balanced salt solution (BSS) during cataract surgery, while standard BSS was used in Group 2. observation procedure: Patients were followed up 1 day, 1 week, and 1 and 2 months after the surgery. main outcome measures: Anterior chamber cell and flare.Results: Postoperatively, 20 patients from Group 1 and 4 patients in Group 2 had less than a mean of 10 cells at day 1 (P = .012). At the first week, 20 patients from Group 1 and 10 patients from Group 2 had less than a mean of 10 cells (P = .004). When compared for flare, 20 patients from Group 1 and 8 patients from Group 2 had a flare between 0 and +1 at postoperative day 1 (P < .001). By the end of postoperative first week, 24 patients from Group 1and 18 patients from Group 2 had a flare between 0 and +1 (P = .012). There was no difference between groups in terms of postoperative inflammation at the first and second months after the surgery.Conclusion: The results of the study suggest that enoxaparin added into the infusion fluid may reduce postoperative inflammation in patients with DM, and this result supports the anti-inflammatory effect of enoxaparin.