Intraocular pressure and safety in glaucoma patients switching to latanoprost/timolol maleate fixed combination from mono- and adjunctive therapies

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety in ocular hypertensive or open-angle glaucoma patients changed to a latanoprost/timolol fixed combination (LTFC) from previous therapy. Methods: We employed a retrospective, multicenter, active-controlled study evaluating patients who had a previous therapy substituted with LTFC and had a 3-month follow-up. Results: In the 168 patients included in the trial, LTFC reduced the intraocular pressure (IOP) after switching from previous therapies: timolol (22.8 +/- 3.5 to 19.0 +/- 3.9 mmHg, N = 49, p < 0.001), latanoprost (21.2 +/- 3.8 to 18.3 +/- 2.5 mmHg, N = 54, p < 0.001), and a dorzolamide/timolol fixed combination (20.9 +/- 2.4 to 20.0 +/- 2.7 mmHg, N = 32, p = 0.03). In switching from a latanoprost and timolol unfixed combination, the pressure changed from 18.3 +/- 3.8 to 18.9 +/- 3.0 mmHg (N = 33, p = 0.38). LTFC was persistent in 131 (78%) patients within the 3-month treatment period. The most common adverse event with LTFC was conjunctival hyperemia, which occurred in patients not previously treated with latanoprost therapy (N = 16, 10%). Conclusions: LTFC generally provides reduced IOP and limited side effects when substituted for other common glaucoma therapies, while providing similar pressure when switched from its own individual components.