A 6-week, multicenter, randomized, double-masked, parallel-group study comparing travoprost 0.004% to latanoprost 0.005% followed by 6-week, open-label treatment with travoprost 0.004%.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare the tolerability and efficacy of once-daily travoprost 0.004% versus latanoprost 0.005% for 6 weeks followed by 6 weeks of once-daily travoprost 0.004% in decreasing intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with open-angle glaucoma (OAG) or ocular hypertension (OH). METHODS: This multicenter, randomized, doublemasked, active-controlled, parallel-group trial was conducted at 32 centers across Latin America. Patients aged > or =18 years with OAG or OH were randomly assigned to receive topical travoprost 0.004% or latanoprost 0.005% 1 drop QD (9 PM) for 6 weeks (masked phase). At 6 weeks, all patients were assigned to receive open-label travoprost 0.004% 1 drop QD (9 PM) for 6 additional weeks (open-label phase). Study visits were scheduled at weeks 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 12. At each study visit, IOP was measured at 5 PM (+/-1 hour; approximately 20 hours after study drug administration). IOP changes from baseline were combined (pooled) from the 1-, 2-, 4-, and 6-week data to provide a comparison between the 2 treatment groups. Ocular adverse events (AEs) were monitored using slit-lamp examination. RESULTS: A total of 302 patients were enrolled (travoprost group, 155 patients; latanoprost group, 147 patients). The mean (SD) age of the travoprost group was 61.9 (10.6) years; 60.6% were female; and 47.1% were white. The mean (SD) age of the latanoprost group was 60.5 (12.4) years; 62.6% were female; and 49.0% were white. Mean IOP values were not significantly different between the travoprost and latanoprost groups at baseline (24.7 vs 24.2 mm Hg) or 6 weeks; however, the between-group difference in reductions from baseline in pooled IOP during the masked phase of the study was statistically significant (-8.3 vs -7.5 mm Hg; P = 0.009). At weeks 6 and 12, mean lOP levels were 16.1 and 16.2 mm Hg, respectively, in the travoprost group and 16.4 and 16.1 mm Hg in the group that was switched from latanoprost to travoprost (all, P = NS). The most common ocular AEs that occurred with masked travoprost, latanoprost, and open-label travoprost were hyperemia (26.9%, 12.2%, and 5.3%, respectively), discomfort (3.2%, 3.4%, and 1.1%), and pruritus (4.5%, 2.0%, and 2.1%). CONCLUSIONS: In this population of patients with OAG or OH, 6-week treatment with travoprost 0.004% was associated with a significantly greater decrease from baseline in pooled IOP compared with latanoprost 0.005% 20 hours after administration. There were no significant differences between the 2 groups. Travoprost and latanoprost were well tolerated.

Avaliaçäo do estado nutricional e respostas imunológicas celular e humoral inespecíficas no câncer do esôfago / Nutritional status evaluation and cellular and humoral unspecific immunological responses in esophageal cancer

Estudou-se o impacto das neoplasias malignas de esôfago sobre o estado nutricional e imunológico dos pacientes e correlacionaram-se os resultados obtidos com o tratamento recebido e a evoluçäo desses pacientes. Foram estudados 38 pacientes portadores de carcinoma espinocelular de esôfago, no Depto. de Cirurgia Torácica do Hospital A. C. Camargo, no período de l983-1984. Medidas antropométricas, laboratoriais e imunológicas foram realizadas. Verificou-se que há uma interaçäo entre a desnutriçäo e a imunoincompetência provocada ou agravada por ela e que se justifica a necessidade de suporte nutricional e imunológico como parte do tratamento multidisciplinar destes tumores