title: A comparative study on the efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness of bimatoprost/timolol and dorzolamide/timolol combinations in glaucoma patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was designed to compare the bimatoprost/timolol combination and dorzolamide/timolol combination in glaucoma for efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness in a local population of Trichy in the state of Tamilnadu.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eight-week, randomized, parallel group, open-label study was conducted on 48 patients of open angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension. After initial clinical assessment and baseline investigations, bimatoprost/timolol combination (Group A) was prescribed to 22 patients (2 patients lost after initial assessment) and dorzolamide/timolol combination (Group B) to 24 patients. The patients were reviewed after second and eighth weeks for cure rate and adverse drug reaction monitoring.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At the end of 8 weeks, the mean reduction in intraocular pressure from baseline was 13.04 mmHg (95% confidence interval (CI): 10.67-14.70) with bimatoprost/timolol combination once daily (P < 0.01) and 9.46 mmHg (95% CI: 7.47-10.5) with dorzolamide/timolol combination twice daily. Both the treatments were safe. Cost-effective range of bimatoprost/timolol combination was lower than that of dorzolamide/timolol combination.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The fixed combination of bimatoprost/timolol was slightly more effective than that of dorzolamide/timolol combination in reducing IOP, and both treatments were generally well tolerated. Bimatoprost/timolol combination was more cost-effective (cost-effective analysis) than dorzolamide/timolol combination.
authors.affiliation: RVS College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sulur, Coimbatore-641 402, Tamilnadu, India.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jothi
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Ismail
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Senthamarai
authors.forename: Siddhartha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pal