[Efficiency of brimonidine 0.2% and dorzolamide 2% as adjunctive therapy to beta-blockers].

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical efficiency and tolerability of brimonidine and dorzolamide twice daily as an adjunctive therapy for glaucoma patients with an inadequate response to beta-blockers therapy.

METHODS

This multicenter prospective analysis included 92 patients (180 eyes) with primary open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension on therapy beta-blockers and with intraocular pressure (IOP) greater than or equal to 18mmHg. The patients were randomly treated either with brimonidine 0.2% or dorzolamide 2% added for three months. Efficiency was determined by the reduction in 15% IOP from baseline at the first and the third month.

RESULTS

Mean pre-treatment IOP was 22.37 DE 2.8 mmHg in the brimonidine group and 22.38 DE 2.6 mmHg in the dorzolamide group; mean post-treatment IOP decrease was 4.39 mmHg in the brimonidine group and 3.29 mmHg in the dorzolamide group. Clinical control at the first month was achieved in 78.3% and 71% of cases respectively (p=0.05). No statistical differences existed between groups for systemic adverse events. Four patients on brimonidine discontinued treatment due to local side effects. In the dorzolamide group, two patients left the treatment referring itching and three others left due to ocular allergy.

CONCLUSIONS

This study found similar efficiency and safety when treating with brimonidine or dorzolamide as an adjunctive therapy for patients with hypertension or primary open-angle glaucoma.