Purpose: To evaluate efficacy and safety of brinzolamide (1%)/brimonidine (0.2%) fixed combination (BBFC) in normal tension glaucoma (NTG).
Methods: This retrospective study included NTG patients treated with BBFC as their primary therapy, NTG patients who had changed their medication to BBFC from brinzolamide or brimonidine, and NTG patients who had changed their medication to BBFC from concomitantly using brinzolamide and brimonidine. The intraocular pressure (IOP), mean deviation value, and adverse drug reactions were evaluated.
Results: In the BBFC primary therapy group, the baseline IOP was 17.1 ± 1.4 mmHg, and the mean IOP at 18 months after using BBFC was 12.4 ± 1.8 mmHg. In the brinzolamide monotherapy group, the baseline IOP was 16.2 ± 1.4 mmHg, the mean IOP using brinzolamide was 13.4 ± 1.6 mmHg, and the mean IOP at 18 months after changing to BBFC was 12.3 ± 1.4 mmHg. In the brimonidine monotherapy group, the baseline IOP was 16.5 ± 1.5 mmHg, the mean IOP using brimonidine was 13.3 ± 1.6 mmHg, and the mean IOP at 18 months after changing to BBFC was 12.4 ± 1.4 mmHg. In the unfixed brinzolamide and brimonidine group, the baseline IOP was 17.5 ± 1.3 mmHg, the mean IOP when using unfixed brinzolamide and brimonidine was 12.4 ± 1.4 mmHg, and the mean IOP at 18 months after changing to BBFC was 12.6 ± 1.5 mmHg. There were no serious adverse drug reactions.
Conclusions: BBFC provides a significant IOP reduction and is a safe antiglaucoma medication for NTG patients.
Keywords: brimonidine; brinzolamide; fixed combination; glaucoma; normal tension; simbrinza.