title: Demographic and clinical factors associated with development of brimonidine tartrate 0.2%-induced ocular allergy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify demographic and clinical characteristics associated with the development of brimonidine tartrate 0.2%-induced ocular allergy.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this retrospective study, 133 patients affected by primary open-angle, pigmentary, narrow angle, or pseudo-exfoliative glaucoma and treated with brimonidine tartrate 0.2% were divided into two groups: allergic and non allergic to brimonidine tartrate 0.2%. The distribution of demographic (age and sex), local (history of allergic conjunctivitis, previous eye-drop ocular allergy, use of other concurrent topical medications, amount of topical medications previously used, use of contact lenses, and tear film production), and systemic (history of systemic allergies and use of systemic drugs) factors was evaluated by comparing the brimonidine tartrate 0.2% allergic and the non-allergic groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In this study, 13.5% of patients (18 of 133) developed brimonidine ocular allergy generally within two weeks from the beginning of treatment (mean time 14.8 +/- 17.9 days). The brimonidine tartrate 0.2% allergic group showed a significantly higher frequency of history of ocular allergy to eye-drops (P = 0.048) and to topical beta-blockers (P = 0.019) when compared with the brimonidine tartrate 0.2% non-allergic group. Moreover, the allergic group showed a decreased tear film production (P = 0.044).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study showed that history of eye-drop allergies and reduction of tear film production were more frequently associated with the development of brimonidine tartrate 0.2%-induced ocular allergy.
authors.affiliation: University of Rome "Tor Vergata," Department of Ophthalmology, Italy.
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Manni
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Centofanti
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sacchetti
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Oddone
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bonini
authors.forename: Mariacristina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Parravano
authors.forename: Massimo Gilberto
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Bucci
mesh_terms: D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000068438:Brimonidine Tartrate; D003233:Conjunctivitis, Allergic / Q000139:chemically induced*; D003710:Demography; D017449:Dermatitis, Allergic Contact / Q000209:etiology*; D004342:Drug Hypersensitivity / Q000209:etiology*; D005141:Eyelid Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced*; D005260:Female; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D011810:Quinoxalines / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D011810:Quinoxalines; D000068438:Brimonidine Tartrate