title: The efficacy of timolol in gel-forming solution after morning or evening dosing in Asian glaucomatous patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of timolol gel-forming solution as a monotherapy and to compare the efficacy of timolol gel-forming solution morning instillation versus at night application in Asians with newly diagnosed open-angle glaucoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective, comparative, parallel group study was conducted on 78 eligible patients diagnosed with open-angle glaucoma who received topical timolol gel-forming solution either on morning (AM dosing group; 39 patients) or evening (PM dosing group; 39 patients) as monotherapy treatment. Intraocular pressure was taken at baseline, 1, 3, 6, and 12 months post-treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean baseline intraocular pressure (IOP) for timolol gel-forming solution in general was 22.7 +/- 6.6 mmHg with the mean IOP reduction of 5.7 +/- 5.3 mmHg (23.1% reduction). The mean IOP reduction of the AM dosing group was 7.5 +/- 5.2 mmHg (31.0% reduction) and 3.9 +/- 4.9 mmHg (15.1% reduction) in the PM dosing group (P = 0.0002). There was a statistically significant difference of IOP reductions between AM and PM dosing group at 1 month (P = 0.041), 3 months (P = 0.037) and 12 months (P = 0.015) post-treatment. Seventy-five percent (24) of good responders was in the AM group and 67.4% (31) of poor responders were patients in the PM group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Timolol gel-forming solution is effective in reducing IOP in Asian eyes. Morning dosing was more effective in lowering the IOP compared to evening dosing.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Ipoh Hospital, Perak, Malaysia. ong_lb@yahoo.co.uk
authors.forename: Lieh Bin
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Ong
authors.forename: Ahmad Tajuddin
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Liza-Sharmini
authors.forename: Lee Ling
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Chieng
authors.forename: Min Tet
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Cheong
authors.forename: Selva Raja
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Vengadasalam
authors.forename: Hoy Choong
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Pillai
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Balaravi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D044466:Asian People; D005260:Female; D005782:Gels; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D013999:Timolol / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D005782:Gels; D013999:Timolol