Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy, safety, and quality-of-life of dual therapy with brimonidine (AlphaganR-Allergan)/latanoprost (XalatanR-Pharmacia) versus timolol/latanoprost.
Methods: Multi-center, double-masked, randomized, parallel group, 12-week study. Patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension currently treated with latanoprost QD monotherapy were randomized to receive either brimonidine BID or timolol BID as adjunctive therapy. IOP was evaluated at baseline and after 4 and 12 weeks of treatment. IOPs were recorded 2 hours+/-30 minutes following morning instillation of the BID study medication. Patients were queried for quality-of-life effects and treatment satisfaction. At Week 12, physicians determined whether patients were clinically successful based on IOP, quality-of-life effects, and adverse events.
Results: After 12 weeks of treatment the mean IOP reduction per eye in the brimonidine/latanoprost group (n=13) was 4.4 mmHg (21%) while that in the timolol/latanoprost group (n=14) was 1.7 mmHg (9.1%) (P<0.05). Nine of 15 patients in the brimonidine/latanoprost group compared to 5/15 in the timolol/latanoprost group were determined clinically successful. One patient in each group was lost to follow-up, 2 patients in the brimonidine/latanoprost group were discontinued due to adverse events (dry mouth/ocular burning and drug-induced allergic conjunctivitis), and 1 patient in the timolol/latanoprost group was discontinued due to adverse events (nausea/ocular burning).
Conclusion: Patients requiring dual therapy may be more successfully controlled with brimonidine/latanoprost dual therapy than with timolol/latanoprost.
CR: C5 Supported in part by an unrestricted grant from Allergan.