dorzolamide and Drug-Hypersensitivity

To evaluate intraocular pressure (IOP) and ocular allergy after replacement of 1 of 2 adjunctive therapy regimens (fixed-combination dorzolamide/timolol or dorzolamide/timolol plus brimonidine) with fixed-combination brimonidine/timolol in glaucoma patients treated with ongoing prostaglandin analog (PGA) therapy.. This prospective, nonrandomized, open-label study involved patients on dorzolamide 2%/timolol 0.5% and a PGA who needed lower IOP and patients on brimonidine, dorzolamide 2%/timolol 0.5%, and a PGA who wanted to simplify their treatment regimens. After the baseline evaluation, patients were continued on the PGA and their other IOP-lowering medications were replaced with brimonidine 0.2%/timolol 0.5%. IOP was measured at baseline and months 1 and 3.. In patients who replaced dorzolamide/timolol with brimonidine/timolol (n = 45), the mean (SD) IOP was 15.9 (1.4) mm Hg at baseline, 13.3 (0.9) mm Hg after 1 month (P < 0.001 vs. baseline), and 13.3 (1.0) mm Hg after 3 months (P < 0.001 vs. baseline). In patients who replaced both brimonidine and dorzolamide/timolol with brimonidine/timolol (n = 15), the mean (SD) IOP was 15.9 (5.2) mm Hg at baseline, 13.8 (1.8) mm Hg after 1 month (P = 0.053 vs. baseline), and 13.8 (1.4) mm Hg after 3 months (P = 0.079 vs. baseline). Allergy was reported in 5 patients previously treated with dorzolamide/timolol and 1 patient previously treated with brimonidine plus dorzolamide/timolol.. For patients on multiple-drug therapy including a PGA, replacement of dorzolamide/timolol with brimonidine/timolol may help achieve a lower IOP, while replacement of brimonidine plus dorzolamide/timolol with brimonidine/timolol may help achieve as low an IOP with fewer medications.

Topics: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Antihypertensive Agents; Brimonidine Tartrate; Drug Combinations; Drug Hypersensitivity; Drug Therapy, Combination; Female; Glaucoma; Humans; Intraocular Pressure; Male; Middle Aged; Prospective Studies; Prostaglandins F, Synthetic; Quinoxalines; Sulfonamides; Thiophenes; Time Factors; Timolol

A randomized, multicenter, double-masked, prospective, parallel study was designed to establish the intraocular pressure (IOP)-lowering efficacy, safety, and tolerability of brinzolamide 1.0% (Azopt) as a primary therapy compared with dorzolamide 2.0% (Trusopt) and placebo in patients diagnosed with open-angle glaucoma (with or without a pseudoexfoliative or a pigmentary dispersion component) or ocular hypertension. Brinzolamide 1.0%, dosed two times (b.i.d.) and three times (t.i.d.) a day, dorzolamide 2.0% (t.i.d.), and placebo (t.i.d) were administered to patients during a 3-month treatment period. Diurnally corrected IOP reduction from baseline, including peak and trough times, was the primary end point. Sample sizes were chosen to establish statistical equivalence between treatments. Mean IOP changes observed on treatment were as follows: -3.4 mm Hg (-13.2%) to -4.1 mm Hg (-16.7%) with brinzolamide 1.0% b.i.d.; -4.1 mm Hg (-16.6%) to -4.8 mm Hg (-19.1%) with brinzolamide 1% t.i.d.; and -4.3 mm Hg (-16.9%) to -4.9 mm Hg (-20.1%) with dorzolamide 2.0%. IOP reductions after administration of brinzolamide 1.0% b.i.d. and t.i.d. were equivalent to each other and also clinically and statistically equivalent to those with dorzolamide 2.0% t.i.d. The incidence of ocular discomfort (burning and stinging) upon instillation was significantly higher for dorzolamide (10.7%) than brinzolamide (b.i.d. or t.i.d., 3.0% each). The most frequent non-ocular event reported was taste perversion, which was less (3.7%) with brinzolamide 1.0% b.i.d., but brinzolamide t.i.d. was similar to dorzolamide t.i.d. (6.8% vs. 5.3%). Brinzolamide 1.0% b.i.d., brinzolamide 1.0% t.i.d., and dorzolamide 2.0% t.i.d. equaled each other in IOP-lowering efficacy, and brinzolamide was significantly more comfortable than dorzolamide upon instillation.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitors; Double-Blind Method; Drug Hypersensitivity; Female; Glaucoma, Open-Angle; Humans; Incidence; Intraocular Pressure; Male; Middle Aged; Ocular Hypertension; Prospective Studies; Safety; Sulfonamides; Suspensions; Thiazines; Thiophenes; Treatment Outcome

To investigate whether a self-reported history of allergy to sulfa-based drugs is a predictor for subsequent adverse reactions to topical carbonic anhydrase inhibitors (CAIs).. A retrospective case-controlled cohort study via chart review was performed on 1,287 patients with a diagnosis of glaucoma. The outcome measure was the development of an adverse reaction (either ocular, systemic, or both) within at least 30 days after receipt of 1 of 4 classes of topical glaucoma medications: CAIs (dorzolamide and brinzolamide), prostaglandin analogues, beta-adrenergic blockers, and alpha2-adrenergic agonists.. Patients with a self-reported history of sulfa allergy had significantly more ocular adverse reactions after the initiation of any of the topical antiglaucoma medications when compared to those patients with no reported allergies. Patients with a self-reported sulfa allergy and patients who self-reported other, nonsulfa-related allergies had similar rates of adverse reactions to most of the topical medications. The patients reporting a sulfa allergy who used topical CAIs did not have more adverse reactions compared with patients who reported having other, nonsulfa-related allergies who used topical CAIs. Self-reported sulfa-allergic patients had similar rates of adverse reactions to topical CAIs compared with topical prostaglandin analogues.. It may be safe to use a topical CAI in patients who report a history of a sulfa allergy. Patients with medication allergies of any kind may be more likely to develop allergic reactions to other, unrelated drug classes.

Topics: Administration, Ophthalmic; Adrenergic alpha-2 Receptor Agonists; Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitors; Case-Control Studies; Cohort Studies; Drug Hypersensitivity; Female; Glaucoma; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Prostaglandins; Retrospective Studies; Sulfonamides; Thiazines; Thiophenes

Since its introduction in 1996, brimonidine tartrate 0.2% ophthalmic solution (Alphagan, Allergan) twice daily has become established as an effective intra ocular pressure-lowering treatment. While the efficacy of Alphagan cannot be questioned, we gained the clinical impression that the drug has an unacceptably high rate of allergy. Of greater concern, we suspected that patients suffering from local Alphagan allergy had a higher rate of allergy to subsequently used topical preparations. We analysed data from a large scale study of glaucoma patients to establish whether our suspicions were correct.. We have created a database of the entire glaucoma treatment histories for consecutive patients attending a single consultant's clinics (DMIM) at Glasgow Royal Infirmary between May 1999 and September 2001. All have undergone medical treatment for primary open angle glaucoma, ocular hypertension, or normal tension glaucoma. Patients with any other form of glaucoma, and patients in whom a full record of treatment was not available were excluded from the study.. Alphagan was discontinued due to allergy on 73 per 100,000 patient treatment days. This was a far higher frequency than for other preparations. In patients allergic to both Alphagan and another preparation (Timoptol, Trusopt and Xalatan), the mean interval between the first and second allergy was shorter when Alphagan allergy occurred first. This was statistically significant in Timoptol and Trusopt cross-reactivity.. Alphagan has high allergenicity, and may increase the likelihood of allergy to subsequently used preparations.

Topics: Adrenergic alpha-Agonists; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Antihypertensive Agents; Brimonidine Tartrate; Cross Reactions; Drug Administration Schedule; Drug Hypersensitivity; Female; Glaucoma; Glaucoma, Open-Angle; Humans; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Middle Aged; Ophthalmic Solutions; Quinoxalines; Retrospective Studies; Sulfonamides; Thiophenes; Timolol

To report a case of marginal keratitis resulting from topical dorzolamide hypersensitivity.. Case report.. A 68-year-old woman presented with bilateral marginal keratitis 2 weeks after commencing bilateral topical dorzolamide. One week after discontinuation of topical dorzolamide, the patient was asymptomatic with complete resolution of corneal infiltrates.. Topical dorzolamide may cause a hypersensitivity reaction in the form of marginal keratitis. Discontinuation of the offending medication should result in complete resolution.

Topics: Administration, Topical; Aged; Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitors; Drug Hypersensitivity; Female; Glaucoma, Open-Angle; Humans; Keratitis; Ophthalmic Solutions; Sulfonamides; Thiophenes