skip to content
Dovepress - Open Access to Scientific and Medical Research
View our mobile site

8852

Ocular surface disease in patients with glaucoma or ocular hypertension treated with either BAK-preserved latanoprost or BAK-free travoprost

Original Research

(1649) Views  (858) Full article downloads

Authors: Gregory Katz, Clark L Springs, E Randy Craven, et al

Published Date November 2010 Volume 2010:4 Pages 1253 - 1261
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/OPTH.S14113

Gregory Katz1, Clark L Springs2, E Randy Craven3, Michela Montecchi-Palmer4
1Huron Ophthalmology, Ypsilanti, MI, USA; 2Indiana University Eye Care, Indianapolis, IN, USA; 3Specialty Eye Care, Denver, CO, USA; 4Alcon Research Ltd., Fort Worth, TX, USA

Purpose: The preservative benzalkonium chloride (BAK) may adversely affect ocular surface health. This study evaluated symptoms of ocular surface disease (OSD) in patients previously treated with a BAK-preserved therapy to lower their intraocular pressure, who either continued that therapy or switched to a BAK-free therapy.
Methods: Eligible adult patients with ocular hypertension or open-angle glaucoma that had been controlled with BAK-preserved latanoprost 0.005% monotherapy (Xalatan®) for at least one month and had a score of ≥ 13 (0 = none, 100 = most severe) on the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) questionnaire were entered into this prospective, double-masked, randomized, active-controlled, multicenter trial. By random assignment, patients either continued with BAK-preserved latanoprost 0.005% or transitioned to BAK-free travoprost 0.004% (Travatan Z® ophthalmic solution). OSDI scores were assessed again after six and 12 weeks.
Results: For the 678 evaluable patients, mean change in OSDI score from baseline to week 12 favored the travoprost 0.004% BAK-free group, but was not statistically different between groups (P = 0.10). When patients with mild OSD at baseline were assessed after 12 weeks, the mean OSDI score was significantly lower (P = 0.04) in the BAK-free travoprost 0.004% group (score = 11.6 ± 10.8 units) than in the BAK-preserved latanoprost 0.005% group (score = 14.4 ± 11.9 units), and a significantly larger percentage (P < 0.01) improved to normal OSDI scores in the BAK-free travoprost 0.004% group (62.9% of group) than in the BAK-preserved latanoprost 0.005% group (47.0% of group). Patients pretreated with BAK-preserved latanoprost 0.005% for >24 months were significantly more likely (P = 0.03) to improve to a normal OSDI score after 12 weeks if they were switched to BAK-free travoprost 0.004% (47.9% of group) than if they remained on BAK-preserved latanoprost 0.005% (33.9% of group).
Conclusions: Switching from BAK-preserved latanoprost 0.005% to BAK-free travoprost 0.004% yielded significant improvements in symptoms of OSD in patients with glaucoma or ocular hypertension.

Keywords: ocular surface, glaucoma, benzalkonium chloride, prostaglandin analog, preservative






Readers of this article also read:

Effects of prostaglandin analog therapy on the ocular surface of glaucoma patients
Role of aliskiren in cardio-renal protection and use in hypertensives with multiple risk factors
Enucleation following treatment with intravenous pentamidine for Acanthamoeba sclerokeratitis
Toxicity of antiglaucoma drugs with and without benzalkonium chloride to cultured human corneal endothelial cells
A randomized, controlled comparison of macroscopic conjunctival hyperemia in patients treated with bimatoprost 0.01% or vehicle who were previously controlled on latanoprost
Solid self-nanoemulsifying cyclosporin A pellets prepared by fluid-bed coating: preparation, characterization and in vitro redispersibility
Pain and other symptom severity in women with fibromyalgia and a previous hysterectomy
Challenges in the clinical measurement of ocular surface disease in glaucoma patients
Helicobacter pylori infection and primary open-angle glaucoma: is there a connection?
A multicenter evaluation of ocular surface disease prevalence in patients with glaucoma