The effect of betamethasone on intraocular pressure in nephrotic children

Abstract

Intraocular pressure (IOP) was measured by Goldmann's or Schiotz's method in 46 nephrotic children, who were treated with betamethasone, and in 40 age-matched normal controls at the Taipei Municipal Chung-Hsin Hospital, from July 1, 1987 to June 30, 1990. We found the difference in mean IOP between patients treated at the end of a full-dose course of betamethasone and normal controls or patients before treatment, was statistically significant. This difference was also found between the measurement of IOP at the end of a full-dose course of betamethasone, and after stopping betamethasone therapy two to four weeks later. Although six of all patients had high IOP and suffered from headache or ocular pain, clinically, at the end of full-dose betamethasone therapy, the symptoms disappeared quickly after tapering or stopping of the drug. Therefore, we believe it is very safe to treat the nephrotic syndrome with betamethasone. On the other hand, these observations indicate that corticosteroid is a causative factor in increasing IOP. Susceptibility to full-dose betamethasone is firmly recognized, and patients need to be monitored on an individual basis. Nephrotic syndrome is a chronic disease which often requires long-term corticosteroid treatment. Children with the syndrome are at risk of developing steroid-induced increasing IOP. Careful ophthalmological examination of nephrotic children, as well as other pediatric patients who received corticosteroid therapy, is highly recommended.