Latanoprost and brimonidine: therapeutic and physiologic assessment before and after oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory therapy

Am J Ophthalmol. 2002 Jan;133(1):11-8. doi: 10.1016/s0002-9394(01)01286-7.

Abstract

Purpose: To assess, before and during oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug coadministration, latanoprost's and brimonidine's hypotensive action in eyes at risk of glaucomatous progression, assessing the effect of each drug on ocular perfusion and visual function.

Methods: Twenty consenting adults with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension underwent a double-masked, bilateral, randomized prospective study. Treatment started with either latanoprost 0.005% in the morning and placebo in the evening, or brimonidine 0.2% twice daily in one eye; after 1 week starting the other in the fellow eye. After another week, oral indomethacin 25 mg four times a day, commenced for 2 more weeks. Intraocular pressure, ocular circulation, and visual function were monitored pretreatment, after unilateral monotherapy (day 7), bilateral ocular therapy (day 14), and coadministered oral indomethacin (day 28). Intrasubject differences (interocular and intraocular relative to baseline) were determined by two-tailed paired t test.

Results: A loss of the significance of intraocular pressure reduction with brimonidine was noted after oral indomethacin coadministration (-14%; P =.004 for brimonidine alone versus -11%; P =.3 with indomethacin). Significant intraocular pressure reduction with latanoprost persisted despite indomethacin (-25%; P <.0001 for latanoprost alone versus -30%; P <.0001 with indomethacin). Pulsatile ocular blood flow increased 40% with latanoprost, but was unchanged with brimonidine (interdrug difference, P =.004). Midperipheral retinal microcirculation increased 23% (P =.03) with latanoprost. Humphrey perimetry and contrast sensitivity remained consistently at or above baseline with both latanoprost and brimonidine. Indomethacin had no significant effect on ocular perfusion or visual function measures.

Conclusions: Circulatory and hydrodynamic findings differed substantially for the two drugs. The loss of significance of intraocular pressure reduction with brimonidine during indomethacin treatment may be clinically important.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Comparative Study
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Oral
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / therapeutic use*
  • Antihypertensive Agents / administration & dosage
  • Antihypertensive Agents / adverse effects
  • Antihypertensive Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Blood Flow Velocity / drug effects
  • Brimonidine Tartrate
  • Contrast Sensitivity / drug effects
  • Double-Blind Method
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • Female
  • Glaucoma, Open-Angle / drug therapy*
  • Glaucoma, Open-Angle / physiopathology
  • Humans
  • Indomethacin / therapeutic use*
  • Intraocular Pressure / drug effects*
  • Intraocular Pressure / physiology
  • Laser-Doppler Flowmetry
  • Latanoprost
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Ocular Hypertension / drug therapy
  • Ocular Hypertension / physiopathology
  • Ophthalmic Solutions
  • Prospective Studies
  • Prostaglandins F, Synthetic / administration & dosage
  • Prostaglandins F, Synthetic / adverse effects
  • Prostaglandins F, Synthetic / therapeutic use*
  • Quinoxalines / administration & dosage
  • Quinoxalines / adverse effects
  • Quinoxalines / therapeutic use*
  • Retinal Vessels / drug effects
  • Visual Fields / drug effects

Substances

  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal
  • Antihypertensive Agents
  • Ophthalmic Solutions
  • Prostaglandins F, Synthetic
  • Quinoxalines
  • Brimonidine Tartrate
  • Latanoprost
  • Indomethacin