Safety and efficacy of bimatoprost 0.03% versus timolol maleate 0.5%/dorzolamide 2% fixed combination.

PURPOSE To determine the efficacy and safety of bimatoprost given every evening versus the dorzolamide/timolol fixed combination (DTFC) given twice daily in open-angle glaucoma and ocular hypertensive patients. METHODS A double-masked, three-center, prospective, randomized, crossover comparison with two 8-week treatment periods following a 4-week medicine free washout period. Diurnal curve intraocular pressures (IOPs) were taken at 08:00 (trough) and 10:00 and 16:00 hours. RESULTS A total of 35 patients were enrolled and 32 completed all evaluations. The diurnal untreated baseline intraocular pressures was 24.8 +/- 2.4 mmHg. On the last day of treatment the mean diurnal intraocular pressures was 17.4 +/- 2.9 for bimatoprost and 18.1 +/- 2.8 mmHg for DTFC (p = 0.35). The individual time points for intraocular pressures were not statistically different between groups. Both groups statistically reduced the intraocular pressures from baseline for each time point and for the diurnal curve (p < 0.05). Regarding ocular safety and tolerability, there was more conjunctival hyperemia with bimatoprost (n = 15) than with DTFC (n = 7, p = 0.013) and more burning and stinging with DTFC (n = 12) than with bimatoprost (n = 0, p = 0.0005). Few systemic adverse events were recorded and there was no statistical difference between groups for any individual event (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS This study indicates that the intraocular pressures are lowered to a statistically similar amount with DTFC compared to bimatoprost in open-angle glaucoma and ocular hypertensive patients.