Comparison of daytime efficacy and safety of dorzolamide/timolol maleate fixed combination versus latanoprost.

PURPOSE To compare the 12-hour efficacy and safety of dorzolamide/timolol fixed combination (DTFC) dosed twice daily versus latanoprost dosed every evening following a timolol run-in in primary open-angle glaucoma patients. METHODS Following a 6-week timolol run-in patients were randomized to either DTFC or latanoprost for 6 weeks and then changed to the opposite treatment for 6 weeks. At the end of the run-in, and the end of each treatment period, the intraocular pressure (IOP) was measured every 2 hours between 8:00 AM and 8:00 PM. RESULTS Thirty-one patients completed at least one time point in both treatment periods. Both treatments reduced the IOP for the diurnal curve, and at each time point, from the timolol run-in baseline (p<0.0001). The 12-hour IOP on timolol was 22.1+/-2.8 mmHg, whereas on DTFC it was 18.1+/-2.8 and latanoprost 18.3+/-3.1 mmHg (p=0.4). Further, there was no statistical difference in IOP between treatments at any time point (p< or =0.1). There was no statistical difference for any individual adverse event between treatments (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS This study suggests that following a timolol run-in both DTFC and latanoprost provide comparable daytime efficacy and safety.