A randomized, prospective study of bimatoprost 0.01% or travoprost/timolol in patients previously treated with latanoprost and timolol to reduce intraocular pressure.

PURPOSE

To compare the efficacy and safety of bimatoprost 0.01% with the fixed combination travoprost 0.004%/timolol 0.5% in subjects with stable intraocular pressure (IOP) control on latanoprost and timolol.

METHODS

This was a randomized, prospective, investigator masked, crossover study comparing bimatoprost 0.01% with travoprost/timolol in 40 subjects diagnosed with primary open-angle glaucoma. Subjects were randomized to bimatoprost 0.01% qpm or travoprost/timolol qam and followed for 12 weeks, at which time they were crossed over to the alternate medication and followed for another 12 weeks. Intraocular pressure and hyperemia (rated on a standardized, 5-point photographic scale) were evaluated as change from baseline to 12 weeks following each therapy, and subject preference was elicited at the end of the study.

RESULTS

Both treatments were well tolerated and the majority of patients achieved effective IOP control relative to baseline. After 12 weeks of treatment, mean reductions from baseline IOP were -1.68 mmHg OD (right eye) and -1.58 mmHg OS (left eye) with bimatoprost and -0.45 mmHg OD and -0.53 mmHg OS with travoprost/timolol, although the differences between drugs were not statistically significant. Hyperemia scores were significantly higher with the fixed combination of travoprost/timolol than bimatoprost 0.01% as measured at 8 am (both P<0.01). Subject preference at the end of the study was more than 3 to 1 in favor of bimatoprost, with most citing greater tolerability.

CONCLUSION

Bimatoprost 0.01% and travoprost/timolol are both effective at reducing IOP in subjects with stable IOP control on latanoprost and timolol, but bimatoprost 0.01% is associated with less hyperemia.