COMPARISON OF INTRAOCULAR PRESSURE LOWERING EFFECT OF LATANOPROST AND TIMOLOL COMBINATION VERSUS LATANOPROST ALONE IN PRIMARY OPEN ANGLE GLAUCOMA

Intraocular Pressure Lowering Effect

Abstract

Objective: To compare the intraocular pressure (IOP) lowering effect of topical drug combination (Latanoprost & Timolol) with Latanoprost alone in patients of Primary Open Angle Glaucoma (POAG).

Study Design: Randomized controlled Trials (RCT).

Place and Duration of Study:  Armed Forces Institute of Ophthalmology (AFIO) Rawalpindi from December 2009 to May 2011.

Patients and Methods: A total of 240 eyes of 120 patients (68 males and 52 females) were included in the study. The patients were randomized into two groups of 60 each using random numbers table. Group A (60 patients, 120 eyes) were put on topical drug combination of Latanoprost and Timolol eye drops and Group B (60 patients, 120 eyes) were treated with topical Latanoprost eye drops alone.  IOP assessments were done at baseline, 2 weeks, 4 weeks and 8 weeks intervals after initiation of treatment.

Results: Both the groups were age matched with mean age in Group A was 56.39 ± 8.50 years and in Group B was 55.61 ± 8.95 years (p=0.09). Both groups showed significant IOP decrease from the baseline at each follow up interval. However after 8 weeks of start of treatment, pressure lowering effect in group A (14.73 ± 2.50 mmHg)  was  significantly more as compared to Group B (9.10 ± 2.51 mmHg) (p<0.001).

Conclusion: Combination therapy of Latanoprost and Timolol is more effective as compared to monotherapy with Latanoprost in lowering IOP of patients with POAG.