Comparison of the effects of dorzolamide/timolol and latanoprost/timolol fixed combinations upon intraocular pressure and progression of visual field damage in primary open-angle glaucoma.
OBJECTIVE
To report the long-term effect of the dorzolamide/timolol (DTFC) and latanoprost/timolol (LTFC) fixed combinations on intraocular pressure (IOP) and visual field defects over time in naïve primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) patients.


METHODS
Prospective, 4-year, open-label, interventional study.


METHODS
high-volume outpatient clinic.


METHODS
178 patients were assigned to receive medical treatment with either DTFC or LTFC.


METHODS
over 4 years, tri-monthly IOP and yearly visual field assessment (Octopus 101, Program G2). outcomes: effect of treatment on IOP, visual field indices mean defect (MD), and visual field indices variance loss (VL) over time.


RESULTS
DTFC and LTFC significantly (p < or = 0.001) reduced mean IOP over time (from 22.6 +/- 3.0 to 13.8 +/- 1.9 mmHg and from 22.3 +/- 4.0 to 14.7 +/- 1.9 mmHg, respectively). In all, 56 patients (70.9%) and 14 (17.9%) showed a significant MD improvement in the DTFC- and LTFC-treated groups, respectively, p = 0.0001. DTFC progressively and significantly decreased mean VL (from 30.21 +/- 23.88 to 8.11 +/- 8.50 dB). Mean sensitivity slopes during follow-up were 1.14 dB/year and -0.34 dB/year for DTFC and LTFC treatment groups, respectively; p = 0.028.


CONCLUSIONS
Both treatments significantly reduced IOP as compared with baseline. Additionally, treatment with dorzolamide/timolol fixed combination seem to be effective in preventing glaucomatous visual field progression. This study has some limitations that should be noted, among them its open-label design.
Pajic
B
B
Swiss Eye Research Foundation, Reinach, Switzerland. bpajic@datacomm.ch
Pajic-Eggspuehler
B
B
Häfliger
I O
IO
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D018450:Disease Progression; D004304:Dosage Forms; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D000077338:Latanoprost; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011461:Prostaglandins F, Synthetic / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D013876:Thiophenes / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D013999:Timolol / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014794:Visual Fields / Q000187:drug effects*
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D004304:Dosage Forms; D004338:Drug Combinations; D011461:Prostaglandins F, Synthetic; D013449:Sulfonamides; D013876:Thiophenes; D000077338:Latanoprost; D013999:Timolol; C062765:dorzolamide