Travoprost found to lower IOP better in black patients than latanoprost or timolol

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.— Researchers presented the poster, “Differences Between Black and Non-Black Patients with Open-Angle Glaucoma or Ocular Hypertension in IOP-Lowering Response to Travoprost,” at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) here on Wednesday.

E.K. Sullivan and Michael V.W. Bergamini and colleagues presented a study whose results found travoprost to be more significant in reducing IOP in blacks than either latanoprost or timolol. The results, garnered over 3 pivotal and 2 dose-response studies and several visits, found travoprost .004% more effective than timolol in lowering IOP by up to 3.2 mmHg. In addition, there was a significantly greater reduction in mean IOP in blacks in the travoprost .004% group than in the latanoprost group, and there was no significant difference between groups in the non-blacks.

Data combined across the dose response demonstrated that blacks had a significantly lower mean IOP following treatment with travoprost .004% compared to travoprost .0015%. In addition, mean IOP following treatment with travoprost .004% was significantly lower in blacks than in non-blacks.

The study concluded that travoprost .004% lowers IOP significantly better in blacks than in non-blacks. It also lowers IOP significantly better in black patients than timolol or latanoprost, and a greater percentage of black patients respond to travoprost .004% than latanoprost or timolol.

Drs. Sullivan and Bergamini told Ocular Surgery News that “many” more studies on the topic are currently under way.