Preservative-Free Fixed Combination Of Tafluprost 0.0015% And Timolol 0.5% In Patients With Open-Angle Glaucoma And Ocular Hypertension: Results Of An Open-Label Observational Study

Background: Efficacy, tolerability and safety of the novel preservative-free fixed combination of tafluprost 0.0015%/ timolol 0.5% (Taptiqom (R)) were investigated in an observational study in Germany.Objective: To assess efficacy, tolerability and safety of the preservative-free fixed combination of tafluprost 0.0015%/ timolol 0.5% in a real-life setting.Methods: Intraocular pressure (IOP) was recorded for each eye at baseline (any previous therapy or untreated) and 4-16 weeks after changing medical treatment to or initiating treatment with the preservative-free fixed combination of tafluprost 0.0015%/ timolol 0.5%. Change in IOP was evaluated over the study period for all patients and for specific pretreatment subgroups. Clinical signs such as conjunctival hyperemia and lid-parallel conjunctival folds (LIPCOF) were recorded using standardized comparative photographs. Corneal staining, subjective symptoms and local comfort were measured using a four-step scale. All adverse events were recorded.Results: Among 1,157 patients enrolled, 1,075 patients were treated with the preservative-free fixed combination as the only medication at the final visit. Medical treatment was initiated in 741 patients because of an insufficient IOP-lowering effect of the prior medication. In 343 patients, medication was changed because of tolerability issues. The preservative-free fixed combination lowered IOP significantly in the subgroup of naive patients, all subgroups with prior monotherapy and patients with prior fixed combinations: naive patients: -8.9 mmHg, alpha-2-agonists: -6.4 mmHg, beta-blockers: -5.7 mmHg, carbonic anhydrase inhibitors: -5.2 mmHg, prostaglandins: -4.7 mmHg, fixed-combination prostaglandins/timolol: -2.4 mmHg. At the final visit, clinical signs and subjective symptoms were improved in patients with prior medical therapy. Local comfort was rated as "very good" or "good" by 89.1% of patients at the final visit. Only few adverse events occurred during the treatment period.Conclusion: The preservative-free fixed combination of tafluprost 0.0015%/timolol 0.5% was effective, well tolerated and showed a good safety profile.