title: A persistency and economic analysis of latanoprost, bimatoprost, or beta-blockers in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate differences in the persistency and treatment costs for latanoprost, bimatoprost, or beta-blockers in open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertensive patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was a retrospective, multicenter, parallel, active-controlled comparison of patients who were prescribed with ocular hypotensive monotherapy between September 1996 and August 2002.
  
  
  RESULTS
  1,182 patients were included. The Kaplan Meier life table analysis showed that latanoprost was continued longest among the groups for the first year of therapy (p=0.02). A significant difference existed between groups in the final intraocular pressure for latanoprost (17.3+/-3.9, N=357), for bimatoprost (18.0+/-3.6, N=146), and for the beta-blockers (17.9+/-3.7, N=335) (p=<0.0001). The average number of visits was statistically higher for beta-blockers (3.3), compared to latanoprost (2.9) and bimatoprost (3.1) (p=0.01). Further, the mean number of medicine changes was greater for bimatoprost (0.45) and beta-blockers (0.47) than for latanoprost (0.27) (p=0.0008). The cost of visits and medications was lowest for beta-blockers ($119.3+/-$78.9) and highest for bimatoprost ($163.8+/-$51.2) (p<0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients were more persistent with latanoprost and demonstrated lower intraocular pressure, fewer visits, and fewer medicine changes when compared to bimatoprost or beta-blocker therapy. In contrast, the beta-blocker group provided lower overall cost.
authors.affiliation: Atlanta Research Company, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Douglas G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Day
authors.forename: Paul N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Schacknow
authors.forename: Elizabeth D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Sharpe
authors.forename: John C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Ellyn
authors.forename: John C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Kulze
authors.forename: Anisa B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Threlkeld
authors.forename: Evan D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Reay H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: Jessica N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Jenkins
authors.forename: William C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Stewart
mesh_terms: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000191:economics*; D000368:Aged; D000577:Amides; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000191:economics*; D000069580:Bimatoprost; D003008:Cloprostenol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D016527:Drug Costs; D017850:Economics, Pharmaceutical; D005260:Female; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000191:economics*; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D000077338:Latanoprost; D008055:Lipids / Q000191:economics*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009798:Ocular Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000191:economics; D009819:Office Visits; D010349:Patient Compliance; D011461:Prostaglandins F, Synthetic / Q000191:economics*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012449:Safety
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D000577:Amides; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D008055:Lipids; D011461:Prostaglandins F, Synthetic; D003008:Cloprostenol; D000077338:Latanoprost; D000069580:Bimatoprost