The effects of intravenous contrast substance administration on intraocular pressure, tear amount and oxidative stress in rats

Although iodinated radiocontrast agents, which are frequently used in radiological procedures such as indirect radiography, angiography, intravenous urography and computed tomography, are generally safe, they can cause serious side effects. In this study, it was aimed to investigate the effect of intravenous ionic high osmolar contrast agent administration on intraocular pressure, tear amount and oxidant and antioxidant parameters of eye tissue. Study groups consisted of 2 groups, Group 1 (Control) and Group 2 (Urographin), and a total of 16 Wistar albino female rats were used. On the first day of the experiment, 6 ml/kg of physiological saline was administered intravenously to the control group, and the same dose of contrast agent was administered to group 2. Intraocular pressure and tear amounts were measured at 1, 6, 12, 24 and 48 hours after intravenous administration. After measurements were made at the 48th hour of the experiment, all rats were euthanized and their eye tissues were removed. In order to reveal the oxidative damage and antioxidant activity in the eye tissue, malondialdehyde and reduced glutathione levels, catalase and glutathione peroxidase enzyme activities were measured spectrophotometrically. Schimer tear test (STT-1) strip was used for tear amount measurements, and rebound tonometer Tonovet® was used as tonometer for intraocular pressure measurements. No statistically significant difference was found between the control and urographin groups in terms of intraocular pressure and tear amounts in the measurements performed at 1,6,12,24 and 48th hours after urographin administration. It was observed that the same application significantly increased the malondialdehyde level (P<0.005) in the eye tissue. There was no significant difference between the groups in terms of reduced glutathione level and catalase and glutathione peroxidase enzyme activities in eye tissue. It was evaluated that intravenous contrast agent administration causes oxidative stress in the eye tissue and this may have a long-term ocular effect