Introduction: Combining two medications in one bottle may improve compliance by reducing the time required to administer drops and the frequency of the total number of medication bottles.
Objective: To compare the efficacy of reduced intraocular pressure (IOP) and safety of fixed combination travoprost 0.004%/timolol 0.5% vs. fixed combination dorzolamide 2%/timolol 0.5% in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension.
Methods: Prospective randomized clinical study included 60 patients divided into 2 groups. Follow-up was done at day 14 and 45 and month 3. IOP measurements were taken at each follow-up examination at 8 am, 10 am and 4 pm.
Results: Both fixed combinations reduced IOP significantly compared to initial values at all follow-ups (p < 0.001). Mean pooled IOP at all visits and time points was slightly lower in the travoprost/timolol group compared with the dorzolamide/timolol group (16.13 mmHg vs. 16.15 mmHg). Mean IOP reduction from baseline ranged from -7.46 mmHg to -9.92 mmHg in the travoprost/timolol group and from -6.93 mmHg to -8.93 mmHg for the dorzolamide/timolol group. Mean (+/- standard error of the mean) reduction in diurnal LOP from baseline to 3rd month was 8.96 +/- 2.79 in the travoprost/timolol group versus 8.07 +/- 2.91 in patients receiving dorzolamide/timolol fixed combination (p = 0.196). The most frequent treatment-related adverse events were conjunctival hyperemia in the travoprost/timolol group, and dry eye and foreign body sensation in the dorzolamide/timolol group.
Conclusion: Travoprost/timolol fixed combination was slightly more effective than dorzolamide/timolol fixed combination in reducing mean diurnal IOP. Travoprost/timolol group resulted in an IOP reduction for up to 1.07 mmHg higher than dorzolamide/timolol group. Both fixed combinations were well tolerated and safe.