Ophthalmic Solution

Tel-Aviv University, Medical Department publishes research in glaucoma

"The authors compared the extent of conjunctival hyperemia in patients receiving bimatoprost as initial therapy with that in patients whose treatment with latanoprost was replaced by bimatoprost. One group of consecutive patients with newly diagnosed bilateral primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) was treated with once daily bimatoprost 0.03% ophthalmic solution as initial therapy. Treatment in another group of patients who had been on latanoprost treatment for at least 3 months was replaced by bimatoprost 0.03%. Conjunctival hyperemia was assessed by a single masked observer using a five-point grading scale. The mean +/- SD baseline hyperemia scores were 0.4 +/- 0.3 and 0.70 +/- 0.3 for the first-line and replacement groups, respectively. Following 3 weeks of treatment, the mean posttreatment conjunctival hyperemia scores were 2.3 +/- 1 and 1.1 +/- 0.5, respectively. IOP of 25.2 +/- 9.8 mmHg and 18.95 +/- 2.1 mmHg dropped to 18.79 +/- 2.13 mmHg and 18.23 +/- 1.95 mmHg, respectively, following bimatoprost therapy. The differences in baseline levels of hyperemia for each group were not statistically significant (p=0.478). Changes in hyperemia scores from baseline were highly significant (p <0.001) only in first-line therapy patients (p=0.02 for the replacement group)," wrote S. Kurtz and colleagues, Tel-Aviv University, Medical Department.

The researchers concluded: "The above findings suggest that patients already on prostaglandin therapy may be less likely to experience an increase in conjunctival hyperemia induced by bimatoprost. (Eur J Ophthalmol 2009; 19:400-3)'."

Kurtz and colleagues published their study in European Journal of Ophthalmology (Incidence of hyperemia associated with bimatoprost treatment in naive subjects and in subjects previously treated with latanoprost. European Journal of Ophthalmology, 2009;19(3):400-403).

Additional information can be obtained by contacting S. Kurtz, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv Sourasky Med Center, Sacker Faculty Medical, Dept. of Ophthalmology, 6 Weizman St., IL-64239 Tel Aviv, Israel.

The publisher of the European Journal of Ophthalmology can be contacted at: Wichtig Editore, 72, 74 Via Friuli, 20135 Milan, Italy.

Keywords: Israel, Tel Aviv, Bimatoprost, Drugs, Genetics, Glaucoma, Hyperemia, Latanoprost, Medical Device, Ocular Hypertension, Open-Angle Glaucoma, Ophthalmic Solution, Ophthalmology, Pharmaceuticals, Therapy, Treatment, Tel-Aviv University, Medical Department.

This article was prepared by Biotech Business Week editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2009, Biotech Business Week via NewsRx.com.