RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Effects of latanoprost and dipivefrin, alone or combined, on intraocular pressure and on blood-aqueous barrier permeability
JF British Journal of Ophthalmology
JO Br J Ophthalmol
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd.
SP 404
OP 406
DO 10.1136/bjo.82.4.404
VO 82
IS 4
A1 I Widengård
A1 O Mäepea
A1 A Alm
YR 1998
UL http://bjo.bmj.com/content/82/4/404.abstract
AB AIM To investigate the effect on intraocular pressure (IOP) and aqueous flare of topical applications of latanoprost and dipivefrin alone or combined. METHODS 22 patients with open angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension were included in a 4 week open label study. Median age was 68 years (range 50–79). They were allocated to either 2 weeks’ treatment with once daily evening administration of latanoprost monotherapy (50 μg/ml) or twice daily dipivefrin monotherapy (1 mg/ml), followed by 2 weeks’ combination therapy with both drugs. RESULTS Latanoprost alone reduced IOP from 19.3 (SD 1.4) to 14.8 (0.9) mm Hg (p<0.01). Addition of dipivefrin caused a further reduction to 12.4 (0.9) mm Hg (p<0.01 compared with latanoprost alone). In the group where the treatment started with dipivefrin IOP was reduced from 22.3 (1.2) to 18.4 (1.0) mm Hg (p<0.01) and with the combination to 14.9 (0.9) mm Hg (p<0.01). No change in aqueous flare was observed with either drug, alone or in combination. A slight increase in conjunctival hyperaemia was observed when the two drugs were combined. CONCLUSIONS Latanoprost and dipivefrin have an additive effect on IOP and no clinically significant effect on the permeability to proteins of the blood-aqueous barrier. This implies that the two drugs can be a useful combination for the treatment of glaucoma.