Purpose: To compare the short-term effects of timolol 0.5%, brimonidine 0.2%, dorzolamide 2%, and latanoprost 0.005% on intraocular pressure (IOP), blood pressure (BP), and diastolic ocular perfusion pressure (DOPP), calculated as the difference between the diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and IOP.
Methods: According to a 4 x 4 Latin squares design for repeated measures, 27 untreated patients and patients with newly diagnosed primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) were treated with timolol 0.5% at 8 AM and 8 PM; brimonidine 0.2% at 8 AM and 8 PM; dorzolamide 2% at 8 AM, 2 PM, and 8 PM; and latanoprost 0.005% at 8 PM. The duration of each treatment course was 6-weeks, with a 4-week washout between each treatment. IOP and BP were measured at baseline and at the end of each treatment period. IOP was measured every 2 hours throughout a 24-hour period. Sitting IOP was measured from 8 AM to 10 PM by Goldmann applanation tonometry. Supine IOP was assessed from 12 to 6 AM by means of a handheld electronic tonometer (TonoPen XL; Mentor, Norwell, MA). BP monitoring was performed by means of an automated portable device (TM-2430; A & D Co., Saitama, Japan).
Results: All the drugs tested decreased the IOP significantly at all time points in comparison with baseline pressure. The mean 24-hour IOP after latanoprost administration (16.62+/-0.98 mm Hg) was significantly lower than that after timolol, brimonidine, or dorzolamide (P=0.0001). During the 24-hour period, brimonidine induced a significant decrease in systolic BP (SBP) and DBP at all time points when compared with baseline measurements and with those after administration of the other drugs (P<0.0001). Timolol caused a significant decrease in DBP and SBP at all the 24-hour time points when compared with the baseline and with the dorzolamide- and latanoprost-induced changes (P<0.0001). The mean 24-hour DOPPs were 50.7+/-5.9 mm Hg at baseline, 53+/-5.5 mm Hg with timolol, 46.2+/-5.4 mm Hg with brimonidine, 55.9+/-4.6 mm Hg with dorzolamide, and 56.4+/-4.9 mm Hg with latanoprost. Brimonidine induced a significant decrease in the mean 24-hour DOPP compared with that at baseline (P<0.0001), whereas dorzolamide and latanoprost induced a significant increase (P<0.0001).
Conclusions: Latanoprost seemed to induce a uniform reduction in IOP during the 24-hour period, although timolol was as effective as latanoprost during the daytime, and dorzolamide are as effective as latanoprost at night. SBP and DBP were significantly decreased by either timolol or brimonidine. In this study of patients with newly diagnosed POAG, only dorzolamide and latanoprost significantly increased mean 24-hour DOPP.