Intraocular pressure-lowering effects of ripasudil, a rho-kinase inhibitor, and selective laser trabeculoplasty as adjuvant therapy in patients with uncontrolled glaucoma.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: To compare the intraocular pressure (IOP)-lowering effects of ripasudil, a rho-kinase inhibitor, and selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) as adjuvant therapy in Japanese glaucoma patients and to identify the factors associated with treatment success. METHODS: We performed a retrospective medical chart review of patients with glaucoma who received ripasudil or SLT as an adjuvant therapy. We collected data on 65 eyes (65 patients) with primary open-angle glaucoma, normal-tension glaucoma, or exfoliation glaucoma with at least 12 months of follow-up. IOP and number of glaucoma medications at 0, 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months were compared between and within groups. A repeated-measures mixed model was used to perform statistical analysis. We also investigated factors associated with treatment success, which was defined as ≥ 20% reduction in IOP at all follow-up periods, using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Significant IOP reduction was observed at all time-points after treatment in the ripasudil group (n = 33) and in the SLT group (n = 32), with no statistically significant difference between the groups before or after treatment. Patients in the SLT group used more anti-glaucoma medications before treatment, but fewer during follow-up, than those in the ripasudil group. Regardless of treatment, higher baseline IOP was associated with treatment success [crude odds ratio 1.21 (95% confidence interval 1.06-1.38), adjusted odds ratio 1.37 (95% confidence interval 1.06-1.77)]. CONCLUSIONS: Adjuvant SLT or ripasudil in patients with inadequately controlled glaucoma both reduced IOP to a similar degree, but SLT contributed to reducing the number of medications used.