Meta analysis of comparison between atropine and cyciopentolate in cycloplegia

Background Medical refraction after cycloplegia is the preferable choice for precise measurement of degree of refractive error.Drugs used in China for cycloplegia include atropine and tropicamide,and the use of cyclopentolate is an alternative for ophthalmologist.However,the data for the evaluation and comparison of efficacy of the available drugs in cycloplegia is still lacking.Objective This system analysis was to evaluate the difference between atropine and cyclopentolate in cycloplegia in children.Methods A systematic literature retrieval was conducted in MEDLINE,EMbase,Google residual accommodation after cycloplegia by atropine and cyclopentolate were compared.Statistical analysis was performed using the RevMan 5.1.0 software.Results A total of 7 studies were included in this meta analysis,including 6 cohort study design and 1 randomized,doubleblinded clinical trial and 1232 eyes.For retinoscopic evaluation after cycloplegia,no significant differences were found between cyclopentolate and atropine in children with hyperopia and myopia (WMD =-0.21,95％ CI:-0.47-0.06,P=0.13 ; WMD =-0.10,95％ CI:-0.36-0.15,P =0.43).For residual accommodation after cycloplegia,no significant difference was seen between cyclopentolate and atropine in ammetropic children (WMD =0.30,95％ CI:-0.10-0.71,P =0.15).Conclusions Cyclopentolate shows the same effect on the cycloplegia as atropine in children,and it can take the place of atropine in cycloplegia in childhood. Key words: Cyclopentolate;  Atropine;  Cycloplegia;  Meta analysis;  Evidence-based medicine