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OBJECTIVE: To evaluate intraocular pressure (IOP)-lowering efficacy, tolerability, and safety of the fixed combination of bimatoprost 0.03% and timolol 0.5% (Ganforty) among German patients. METHODS: Multicenter, observational, open-label study of patients with primary open angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension (n = 606). As determined by participating physicians, patients had insufficient IOP control and required a medication change. They were switched to once-daily fixed-combination bimatoprost/timolol with no wash-out period. IOP was recorded at treated baseline, 4-6 weeks and 12 weeks after switching. Tolerability was measured using a 4-step scale (excellent, good, moderate, poor) and all adverse events were recorded. RESULTS: A total of 405 patients switched from monotherapy, 97 switched from other fixed combinations, and 104 switched from non-fixed combinations. Among all patients, 32.5% had used prostaglandin analog (PGA) monotherapy, 8.7% had been using a fixed combination that included a PGA, and 6.9% had been using an adjunctive combination of a PGA and a β-blocker. Mean treated baseline IOP (±SD) for all patients was 20.7 ± 3.5 mmHg. Overall, changing medication to fixed-combination bimatoprost/timolol lowered IOP to 16.6 ± 2.7 mmHg (p<0.001 vs. baseline) after 4-6 weeks and to 16.1 ± 2.6 mmHg (p<0.001) after 12 weeks; reductions of 19.8% and 22.2%, respectively. Combined bimatoprost/timolol provided an additional IOP reduction versus baseline in most subgroups based on prior treatment. At week 12, patients who had previously used a β-blocker achieved an additional 25.8% decrease from baseline and IOP was reduced by 22.6% in former PGA monotherapy patients. At week 12, 84.6% of all eyes reached a target pressure less than or equal to 18 mmHg. Tolerability of bimatoprost/timolol was rated excellent or good by the physicians for 98.7% of patients and by 96.7% of the patients themselves. Few adverse events occurred during the treatment period. CONCLUSIONS: Although this study was limited by its observational design, our results show that the fixed combination of bimatoprost 0.03%/timolol 0.5% was effective, well tolerated, and safe in a broad patient population.
Dr. C. Feuerhake, Burgdorfer Str. 19/21, 31275 Lehrte, Germany. dr.feuerhake@augenzentrum-lehrte.de
11.13.4 Betablocker and prostaglandin (Part of: 11 Medical treatment > 11.13 Combination therapy)