Travoprost shows efficacy as replacement therapy

Prostaglandin analogues have gained a significant following in the medical community as a means of lowering intraocular pressure (IOP) in the treatment of both glaucoma and ocular hypertension (OH). A group of researchers reported on an open-label study on 1,651 adult patients with OH or glaucoma who were either previously untreated, or treated unsuccessfully with other OH medications.
Jian Ge and colleagues at Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center (Guangdong, China) compared the safety and efficacy of once-daily travoprost 0.004% monotherapy. All efficacy and safety evaluations were done at the 4– and 12–week visits.
Of the 1,651 patients, 199 discontinued for reasons the researchers were unable to ascertain. Of the remaining 1,452 enrolled subjects, 591 were treatment-naïve, 68 had used alpha-agonists, 530 had used beta-blockers, 78 used carbonic anhydrase inhibitors (CAIs), and 185 were on latanoprost. In the initial diagnosis, 81% were open-angle glaucoma, 17% were OH, and 3% were not reported or other.
Baseline mean IOPs ranged from a low of 20.1 mm Hg (latanoprost patients), to a mid-range of about 25 (alpha-agonists and beta-blockers) and 25.9 mm Hg (topical CAIs), to a high of 26.2 mm Hg (untreated patients). In patients on latanoprost, travoprost produced a statistically significant mean IOP reduction of 4.3 mm Hg over the 12 weeks. Mean IOP for those on beta-blockers or untreated was statistically significantly reduced by 7.0–8.4 mm Hg.
“The results of this study demonstrated the potential benefit of using travoprost as a replacement therapy to ensure adequate IOP control,” the authors concluded.

Source: Chin Med J. 2010;123:1417-1421.
Reported by: EyeWorld News Services