title: Efficacy and tolerability of fixed combination of brimonidine 0.2%/timolol 0.5% compared with fixed combination of dorzolamide 2%/timolol 0.5% in the treatment of patients with elevated intraocular pressure: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of the fixed-combination brimonidine 0.2%/timolol 0.5% (FCBT) compared with the fixed-combination dorzolamide 2%/timolol 0.5% (FCDT) in the treatment of patients with elevated intraocular pressure (IOP).
  
  
  METHODS
  Pertinent randomized controlled trials comparing FCBT with FCDT in patients with elevated IOP were identified through systematic searches of the Cochrane Library, PubMed, and EMBASE. The main efficacy measures were the IOP reduction (IOPR), including diurnal mean IOPR, and peak IOPR. The main tolerability measure was the individual adverse events. The pooled estimates and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were carried out in RevMan version 5.0 software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seven studies involving 582 patients were included in the meta-analysis. With a weighted mean difference (WMD) of IOPR in diurnal mean of 0.44 mmHg (95% CI, 0.00-0.88), the FCBT was as effective as FCDT in lowering IOP in patients with elevated IOP (P=0.05). The WMD of IOPR at peak was 0.65 mmHg (95% CI, -0.06 to 1.35) (P=0.76), and there was no significant difference between FCBT and FCDT. FCBT caused burning/stinging in less patients than FCDT [pooled relative risk: 0.45 (95% CI, 0.29-0.70)].
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both FCBT and FCDT can effectively lower IOP in patients with elevated IOP, and the IOP-lowering efficacy of FCBT is noninferior to that of FCDT. Additionally, FCBT affords an ocular comfort advantage compared with FCDT.
authors: Hopital Militaire de Kamenge, Bujumbura, Burundi. budengerip77@yahoo.fr
authors: Patrick
authors: P
authors: Budengeri
authors: Jin-Wei
authors: JW
authors: Cheng
authors: Ji-Ping
authors: JP
authors: Cai
authors: Rui-Li
authors: RL
authors: Wei
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000068438:Brimonidine Tartrate; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011810:Quinoxalines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013876:Thiophenes / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013999:Timolol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D004338:Drug Combinations; D011810:Quinoxalines; D013449:Sulfonamides; D013876:Thiophenes; C479140:dorzolamide-timolol combination; D000068438:Brimonidine Tartrate; D013999:Timolol