ABSTRACT
AIMS: The aim of this analysis was to evaluate the general ophthalmologist's experience in using latanoprost to treat normal tension glaucoma (NTG) patients. METHODS: NTG patients included in this study were part of an observational cohort of patients that were changed from previous therapy to latanoprost in Germany. RESULTS: This study included 200 NTG glaucoma patients who were being treated with latanoprost monotherapy (average duration, 1.2 +/- 1.4 years) and had 6 months of follow-up. At the beginning of the observation period, patients had an average intraocular pressure (IOP) of 15.2 +/- 2.5 mmHg and after 6 months, 15.0 +/- 2.4 mmHg (P = 0.769). Eight (8) patients (4.0%) were discontinued from latanoprost during the observation period, with the most common reason noted as the need for further IOP reduction (n = 7; 3.5%). Twenty-four (24) patients (12.0%) noted at least one ocular adverse event during the observation period, with the most common reason noted as burning/stinging (n = 9; 4.5%) or conjunctival hyperemia (n = 9; 4.5%). CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that patients with NTG who are already treated with latanoprost monotherapy should continue to have, over a short-term follow-up, generally stable IOPs, low side-effect incidence, and discontinuations, as well as "very good" to "excellent" physician ratings of patient efficacy, tolerability, and satisfaction.
Subject(s)
Antihypertensive Agents/therapeutic use , Glaucoma/drug therapy , Intraocular Pressure/drug effects , Prostaglandins F, Synthetic/therapeutic use , Aged , Antihypertensive Agents/adverse effects , Cohort Studies , Conjunctiva/blood supply , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Germany , Humans , Hyperemia/chemically induced , Latanoprost , Male , Middle Aged , Ophthalmic Solutions , Patient Satisfaction , Prostaglandins F, Synthetic/adverse effectsABSTRACT
Endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) expressed in the vascular endothelium or formed within platelets was postulated to inhibit platelet activation and aggregation. We have assessed the role of eNOS in platelet aggregation in vitro and in vivo by comparison of WT and eNOS-/- mice. Aggregometer studies revealed that collagen over a concentration range of 0.36-10 microg aggregated WT and eNOS-/- platelets to the same extent (10 microg: WT 86.7+/-4.7%, eNOS-/- 91+/-12%, n=6). Collagen treatment did not result in a significant increase in cGMP formation and VASP phosphorylation. Thrombin-induced P-selectin surface expression was unchanged in eNOS-/-platelets. In line with these findings no eNOS protein was detectable within the platelets of WT mice. In vivo, bleeding time after tail tip resection tended to be shorter in eNOS/- mice (WT: 116+/-35 s; eNOS-/- 109+/-37 s, n.s). Similarly, time to occlusion of the A.carotis after focal induction of thrombosis was 501+/-76 s (WT) and 457+/-95 s (eNOS-/-) (n.s.). These data demonstrate that eNOS-deficiency minimally affects platelet aggregation and is not associated with accelerated arterial thrombosis in vivo. Thus, in the mouse endothelial NO synthase does not play a major role in the autocrine modulation of platelet function and in thrombosis of conduit vessels in vivo.
