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Brimonidine, NAION improvement link questioned
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A recent study indicating no harmful effect of brimonidine in patients suffering from non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy contradicts findings previously published, study authors said. A statistically significant advantage for the patients receiving brimonidine could not be shown, they added.
Barbara Wilhelm and colleagues in Germany randomized 36 patients with first eye involvement and typical signs of non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) to receive either brimonidine 0.2% or placebo. All patients were older than 40 years old; 22 were male. Patients were enrolled in the trial within 1 week of initial visual loss. End points included visual acuity, visual field and automated swinging flashlight test. All tests were conducted at baseline, and at 2, 4 and 12 weeks.
Visual acuity did not show statistically significant difference by treatment. There were non-significant trends for better visual field results in the brimonidine group. No serious adverse events were reported.
The study is published in the May issue of Graefe’s Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology.