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Referencias

Barnebey 1993 {published data only}

Barnebey HS, Robin AL, Zimmerman TJ, Morrison JC, Hersh SB, Lewis RA, et al. The efficacy of brimonidine in decreasing elevations in intraocular pressure after laser trabeculoplasty. Ophthalmology 1993;100(7):1083‐8. CENTRAL
Robin AL, Barnebey HS, Zimmerman TJ, Morrison JC, Hersh SB, Lewis RA. The effect of single and multiple doses of 0.5% brimonidine tartrate on IOP elevations following 360° ALT surgery. American Academy of Ophthalmology1992:86. CENTRAL
The Brimonidine‐ALT Study Group. Effect of brimonidine 0.5% on intraocular pressure spikes following 360° argon laser trabeculoplasty. Ophthalmic Surgery and Lasers 1995;26(5):404‐9. CENTRAL

Barnes 1999 {published data only}

Barnes SD, Campagna JA, Dirks MS, Doe EA, Geanon JD. Comparison of brimonidine 0.2% to apraclonidine 1.0% for the control of intraocular pressure spikes after argon laser trabeculoplasty. American Academy of Ophthalmology1997:174. CENTRAL
Barnes SD, Campanga JA, Dirks MS, Doe EA. Control of intraocular pressure elevations after argon laser trabeculoplasty. Comparison of brimonidine 0.2% to apraclonidine 1.0%. Ophthalmology 1999;106(10):2033‐7. CENTRAL
Barnes SD, Dirks MS, Doe EA, Campagna JA, Zimmerman T. Control of intraocular pressure spikes after argon laser trabeculoplasty: brimonidine 0.2% vs. apraclonidine 1.0%. Journal of Glaucoma1999; Vol. 8, issue 1:S15. CENTRAL
Dirks M, Conner C, Barnes SD. A cost minimization analysis comparing brimonidine to apraclonidine in IOP control following ALT. Journal of Glaucoma2000; Vol. 9, issue 1:120. CENTRAL

Birt 1995 {published data only}

Birt CM, Shin DH, Reed SY, McCarty B, Kim C, Frenkel RE. One vs. two doses of 1.0% apraclonidine for prophylaxis of intraocular pressure spike after argon laser trabeculoplasty. Canadian Journal of Ophthalmology 1995;30(5):266‐9. CENTRAL

Brown 1988 {published data only}

Brown RH, Stewart RH, Lynch MG, Crandall AS, Mandell AI, Wilensky JT, et al. ALO 2145 reduces the intraocular pressure elevation after anterior segment laser surgery. Ophthalmology 1988;95(3):378‐84. CENTRAL

Carassa 1992 {published data only}

Carassa R, Trabucchi G, Fontana P, Brancato R. Apraclonidine (AL 02145) reduces intraocular pressure in patients undergoing anterior segment laser surgery. Italian Journal of Ophthalmology 1992;6(4):249‐53. CENTRAL

Chevrier 1999 {published data only}

Chevrier RL, Assalian A, Duperre J, Lesk MR. Apraclonidine 0.5% versus brimonidine 0.2% for the control of intraocular pressure elevation following anterior segment laser procedures. Ophthalmic Surgery and Lasers 1999;30(3):199‐204. CENTRAL

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Dapling RB, Cunliffe IA, Longstaff S. Influence of apraclonidine and pilocarpine alone and in combination on post laser trabeculoplasty pressure rise. British Journal of Ophthalmology 1994;78(1):30‐2. CENTRAL

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David R, Spaeth GL, Clevenger CE, Perell HF, Siegel LI, Henry JC, et al. Brimonidine in the prevention of intraocular pressure elevation following argon laser trabeculoplasty. Archives of Ophthalmology 1993;111(10):1387‐90. CENTRAL
Spaeth G, David R, Clevenger C, Perell H, Siegel L. The effects of brimonidine tartrate on the incidence of intraocular pressure (IOP) spikes following argon laser trabeculoplasty (ALT). Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science1992; Vol. 33:ARVO E‐Abstract 2340. CENTRAL
The Brimonidine‐ALT Study Group. Effect of brimonidine 0.5% on intraocular pressure spikes following 360° argon laser trabeculoplasty. Ophthalmic Surgery and Lasers 1995;26(5):404‐9. CENTRAL

Donnelly 2006 {published data only}

Donnelly SJ, Brooks DB, Fechter HP, Psolka M. Comparison of the alpha‐2 agonists for prevention of intraocular pressure elevation after selective laser trabeculoplasty. Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science 2006;47:ARVO E‐Abstract 4565. CENTRAL
Yakopson VS, Donnelly SJ, Fechter HP, Wilson WF. Brimonidine 0.1% vs apraclonidine 0.5% for prevention of intraocular pressure elevation after selective laser trabeculoplasty. Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science2008; Vol. 49:ARVO E‐Abstract 1234. CENTRAL

Elsas 1991 {published data only}

Elsas T, Johnsen H, Stang O. Pilocarpine to prevent acute pressure increase following primary laser trabeculoplasty. Eye 1991;5(pt. 4):390‐4. CENTRAL

Hartenbaum 1999 {published data only}

Hartenbaum D, Wilson H, Maloney S, Vacarelli L, Orillac R, Sharpe E, et al. A randomized study of dorzolamide in the prevention of elevated intraocular pressure after anterior segment laser surgery. Journal of Glaucoma 1999;8(4):273‐5. CENTRAL

Holmwood 1992 {published data only}

Holmwood P, Chase D, Ruderman I, Rosenberg L, Krupin T. Effect of apraclonidine dosage on argon laser trabeculoplasty (ALT) induced increase in intraocular pressure (IOP). Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science1991; Vol. 32:ARVO E‐Abstract 1356. CENTRAL
Holmwood PC, Chase RD, Krupin T, Rosenberg LF, Ruderman JM, Tallman BA, et al. Apraclonidine and argon laser trabeculoplasty. American Journal of Ophthalmology 1992;114(1):19‐22. CENTRAL

Karlik 1997 {published data only}

Karlik JS, Barber JC, Humphreys A, Dutt RM. The comparison of latanoprost verses apraclonidine as pretreatment in eyes undergoing argon laser trabeculoplasty. Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science1997; Vol. 38:ARVO E‐Abstract 1303. CENTRAL

Karlik 1998 {published data only}

Karlik JS, Baker KS, Dutt RM. Comparison of latanoprost versus apraclonidine as pretreatment in eyes undergoing argon laser trabeculoplasty. Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science 1998;39:ARVO E‐Abstract 1173. CENTRAL

Kitazawa 1990 {published data only}

Kitazawa Y, Shimizu U. Apraclonidine hydrochloride suppresses the increase of aqueous flare induced by argon laser trabeculoplasty. Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science1990; Vol. 31:ARVO E‐Abstract 2477. CENTRAL

Ma 1999 {published data only}

Ma YR, Lee BH, Yang KJ, Park YG. The efficacy of 0.2% brimonidine for preventing intraocular pressure rise following argon laser trabeculoplasty. Korean Journal of Ophthalmology 1999;13(2):78‐84. CENTRAL

Metcalfe 1989 {published data only}

Metcalfe TW, Etchells DE. Prevention of the immediate intraocular pressure rise following argon laser trabeculoplasty. British Journal of Ophthalmology 1989;73(8):612‐6. CENTRAL

Raspiller 1992 {published data only}

Raspiller A, Berrod JP. Efficacy and safety of apraclonidine (ALO 2145, 1%) in patients undergoing anterior segment laser surgery. Journal Francais d'Ophtalmologie 1992;15(12):651‐6. CENTRAL

Ren 1999 {published data only}

Ren J, Shin DH, Chung HS, Birt CM, Glover BK, Juzych MS, et al. Efficacy of apraclonidine 1% versus pilocarpine 4% for prophylaxis of intraocular pressure spike after argon laser trabeculoplasty. Ophthalmology 1999;106(6):1135‐9. CENTRAL
Ren J, Tinoosh F, Chung HS, Birt CM, Glover B. Efficacy of apraclonidine 1% vs. pilocarpine 4% for prophylaxis of intraocular pressure spike after argon laser trabeculoplasty. American Academy of Ophthalmology1997:195. CENTRAL

Robin 1987 {published data only}

Robin AL, Pollack IP, House B, Enger C. Effects of ALO 2145 on intraocular pressure following argon laser trabeculoplasty. Archives of Ophthalmology 1987;105(5):646‐50. CENTRAL

Robin 1991 {published data only}

Robin AL. Argon laser trabeculoplasty medical therapy to prevent the intraocular pressure rise associated with argon laser trabeculoplasty. Ophthalmic Surgery 1991;22(1):31‐7. CENTRAL

Yalvaç 1996 {published data only}

Yalvaç I, Karagöz Y, Akgün Ü, Kasim R, Duman S. Apraclonidine use in argon laser trabeculoplasty [Argon laser trabeküloplasti'de apraklonidin uygulaması]. Türk Oftalmolojı Dergısı 1994;24(3):282‐5. CENTRAL
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Ascaso 1992 {published data only}

Ascaso FJ, Castillo JS, Loras E, Minana MI, Palomar A. Effects of topical diclofenac sodium administered before argon laser trabeculoplasty: a double‐blind comparison versus dexamethasone phosphate eye drops. Lasers and Light in Ophthalmology 1992;5(1):29‐33. CENTRAL

Bergamini 1997 {published data only}

Bergamini F, Vigo C, Pissarello R, Brancato C. Evaluation of apraclonidine hydrochloride effects on IOP control after argon laser trabeculoplasty or Nd:YAG laser iridotomy [Valutazione dell'apraclonidina cloridrato nel controllo della IOP dopo ALT o iridotomia Nd:YAG laser]. Annali di Ottalmologia e Clinicia Oculistica 1997;123(1):25‐8. CENTRAL

Bucci 1987 {published data only}

Bucci MG, Cichetti MP, D'Andrea D, Corridore F. Evaluation of the effects of piroxicam e.d. in the intraocular pressure control after argon laser trabeculoplasty [Valutazione degli effetti del piroxicam collirio nel controllo dell pressione oculare dopo trabeculoplastica argon laser]. Annali di Ottalmologia e Clinica Oculistica 1987;113(7):643‐8. CENTRAL

Champagne 2015 {published data only}

Champagne S, Anctil JL, Goyette A, Lajoie C, Des Marchais B. Influence on intraocular pressure of anti‐inflammatory treatments after selective laser trabeculoplasty [Impact du traitement anti‐inflammatoire post‐trabéculoplastie au laser sélectif sur la tension intraoculaire]. Journal Français d'Ophtalmologie 2015;38(7):588‐94. CENTRAL

Chen 2001 {published data only}

Chen TC, Ang RT, Grosskreutz CL, Pasquale LR, Fan JT. Brimonidine 0.2% versus apraclonidine 0.5% for prevention of intraocular pressure elevations after anterior segment laser surgery. Ophthalmology 2001;108(6):1033‐8. CENTRAL

Chen 2005 {published data only}

Chen E, Golchin S, Blomdahl S. A comparison between 90 degrees and 180 degrees selective laser trabeculoplasty. Journal of Glaucoma2004; Vol. 13, issue 1:62‐5. CENTRAL
Chen TC. Brimonidine 0.15% versus apraclonidine 0.5% for prevention of intraocular pressure elevation after anterior segment laser surgery. Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery 2005;31(9):1707‐12. CENTRAL

De Keyser 2017 {published data only}

De Keyser M, De Belder M, De Groot V. Randomized prospective study of the use of anti‐inflammatory drops after selective laser trabeculoplasty. Journal of Glaucoma2017; Vol. 26, issue 2:e22‐9. CENTRAL

Diestelhorst 1995 {published data only}

Diestelhorst M, Thull D, Krieglstein GK. The effect of argon laser trabeculoplasty on the blood‐aqueous barrier and intraocular pressure in human glaucomatous eyes treated with diclofenac 0.1%. Graefes Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology 1995;233(9):559‐62. CENTRAL

Gelfand 1985 {published data only}

Gelfand YA, Wolpert M. Effects of topical indomethacin pretreatment on argon laser trabeculoplasty: a randomised, double‐masked study on black South Africans. British Journal of Ophthalmology 1985;69(9):668‐72. CENTRAL

Herbort 1992 {published data only}

Herbort C, Mermoud A, Shnyder C, Pittet N. Effect of the topical nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drug (NSAID) diclofenac after argon laser trabeculoplasty (ALT). Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science1992; Vol. 33:ARVO E‐Abstract 2336. CENTRAL
Herbort CP, Mermoud A, Schnyder C, Pittet N. Anti‐inflammatory effect of topical diclofenac sodium (Voltarène Ophta) after argon laser trabeculoplasty: preliminary results of prospective double‐blind method [Effet anti‐inflammatoire du diclofenac sodium topique (Voltarèn® Ophta) après trabéculoplastie au laser argon (TLA): résultats préliminaires d'une étude prospective en double‐insu]. Klinische Monatsblätter für Augenheilkunde 1992;200(5):358‐61. CENTRAL

Herbort 1993 {published data only}

Herbort CP, Mermoud A, Schnyder C, Pittet N. Anti‐inflammatory effect of diclofenac drops after argon laser trabeculoplasty. Archives of Ophthalmology 1993;111(4):481‐3. CENTRAL

Hurvitz 1994 {published data only}

Hurvitz LM. A randomized prospective study of apraclonidine 1/2% vs 1% in preventing post‐laser IOP rise. American Academy of Ophthalmology1994:129. CENTRAL

Jinapriya 2014 {published data only}

Jinapriya D, D'Souza M, Hollands H, El‐Defrawy S, Irrcher I, Smallman D, et al. Anti‐inflammatory therapy after selective laser trabeculoplasty. A randomized, double‐masked, placebo‐controlled clinical trial. Ophthalmology 2014;121(12):2356‐61. CENTRAL

Kim 1998 {published data only}

Kim YY, Glover BK, Shin DH, Lee D, Frenkel RE, Abreu MM. Effect of topical anti‐inflammatory treatment on the long‐term outcome of laser trabeculoplasty. Fluorometholone‐Laser Trabeculoplasty Study Group. American Journal of Ophthalmology 1998;126(5):721‐3. CENTRAL

Krupin 1992 {published data only}

Feitl M, Krupin T, Stank T. Apraclonidine pretreatment decreases the acute intraocular pressure (IOP) rise after argon laser trabeculoplasty (ALT) or laser iridectomy (LPI). Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science1991; Vol. 32:ARVO E‐Abstract 1355. CENTRAL
Krupin T, Stank T, Feitl ME. Apraclonidine pretreatment decreases the acute intraocular pressure rise after laser trabeculoplasty or iridotomy. Journal of Glaucoma 1992;1(2):79‐86. CENTRAL

León‐Alcántara 1995 {published data only}

León‐Alcántara LM, Aguilar‐Muñoz JO, Carrillo Ruiz de Chávez R, Berges Salgado G, Harleben M, Maqueo M. Evaluation of the efficacy of apraclonidine chlorhydrate 1% in patients who underwent anterior segment laser surgery [Eficacia y seguridad de la solución oftálmica de hidrocloruro de apraclonidina al 1% en pacientes sometidos a cirugía del segmento anterior con láser]. Revista Mexicana de Oftalmología 1995;69(3):109‐16. CENTRAL

Leung 1986 {published data only}

Leung KW, Gillies WE. The detection and management of the acute rise in intraocular pressure following laser trabeculoplasty. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Ophthalmology 1986;14(3):259‐62. CENTRAL

Ottaiano 1989 {published data only}

Ottaiano JA. The topic therapy with fluorometholone 0.1% and indomethacin 1% in iridotomy by argon laser [Estudo comparativo da terapêutica tópica com fluorometolona a 0,1 e indometacina a 1 em olhos submetidos à iridotomia por laser de argônio]. Arquivos Brasileiros de Oftalmologia 1989;52(6):211‐4. CENTRAL

Ottaiano 1996 {published data only}

Ottaiano JA, de Castro Moreira JB, Fudo A, Ueda EM, Bosso EP, Martin RT. Topical 1% apraclonidine in the argon laser trabeculoplasty [Apraclonidine a 1% em olhos submetidos à trabeculoplastia por laswer de argônio]. Arquivos Brasileiros de Oftalmologia 1996;59(3):299‐306. CENTRAL

Pappas 1985 {published data only}

Pappas HR, Berry DP, Partamian L, Hertzmark E, Epstein DL. Topical indomethacin therapy before argon laser trabeculoplasty. American Journal of Ophthalmology 1985;99(5):571‐5. CENTRAL

Patel 1998 {published data only}

Patel HC, Ren J, Shin DH, Chung HS, Hong YJ, Rho SH, et al. Comparative efficacies of apraclonidine, brimonidine, pilocarpine, and latanoprost in prophylaxis of IOP spikes following ALT or YAG capsulotomy. Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science 1998;39(4):S 2196. CENTRAL

Realini 2010 {published data only}

Realini T, Charlton J, Hettlinger M. The impact of anti‐inflammatory therapy on intraocular pressure reduction following selective laser trabeculoplasty. Ophthalmic Surgery, Lasers and Imaging 2010;41(1):100‐3. CENTRAL
Realini T, Charlton J, Hettlinger M. The role of prednisolone acetate in the postoperative period following selective laser trabeculoplasty. Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science2007; Vol. 48:ARVO E‐Abstract 5674. CENTRAL

Rosenberg 1995 {published data only}

Rosenberg LF, Krupin T, Ruderman J, McDaniel DL, Siegfried C, Karalekas DP, et al. Apraclonidine and anterior segment laser surgery. Comparison of 0.5% versus 1.0% apraclonidine for prevention of postoperative intraocular pressure rise. Ophthalmology 1995;102(9):1312‐8. CENTRAL

Shin 1996 {published data only}

Shin DJ, Frenkel RE, David R, Cheetham JK. Effect of topical anti‐inflammatory treatment on the outcome of laser trabeculoplasty. The Fluorometholone‐Laser Trabeculoplasty Study Group. American Journal of Ophthalmology 1996;122(3):349‐54. CENTRAL

Stingu 2001 {published data only}

Stîngu C, Cristescu A, Dârâban C, Ioniţă M, Serghiescu S. Iopidine in the control of intraocular pressure after glaucoma laser treatment [Iopidina în controlul cresterilor presionale după proceduri antiglaucomatoase laser]. Oftalmologia 2001;54(4):32‐5. CENTRAL

Swendris 1991a {published data only}

Swendris RP, Shin DH, Hong YJ. Apraclonidine versus timolol pretreatment in the prevention of intraocular pressure spikes following argon laser trabeculoplasty. Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science1991; Vol. 32:ARVO E‐Abstract 1358. CENTRAL

Swendris 1991b {published data only}

Swendris RP, Shin DH, Khatana AK, Hong YJ. Medical pretreatment to prevent the acute intraocular pressure elevation after laser trabeculoplasty. American Academy of Ophthalmology1991:108. CENTRAL

Threlkeld 1996 {published data only}

Threlkeld AB, Assalian AA, Allingham RR, Shields MB. Apraclonidine 0.5% versus 1% for controlling intraocular pressure elevation after argon laser trabeculoplasty. Ophthalmic Surgery and Lasers 1996;27(8):657‐60. CENTRAL

Vickerstaff 2015 {published data only}

Vickerstaff V, Ambler G, Bunce C, Xing W, Gazzard G. Statistical analysis plan for the Laser‐1st versus Drops‐1st for Glaucoma and Ocular Hypertension Trial (LiGHT): a multi‐centre randomised controlled trial. Trials 2015;16(1):1. CENTRAL

Weinreb 1983 {published data only}

Weinreb RN, Robin AL, Baerveldt G, Drake MV, Blumenthal M, Wilensky J. Flurbiprofen pretreatment in argon laser trabeculoplasty for primary open‐angle glaucoma. Archives of Ophthalmology 1983;102(11):1629‐32. CENTRAL

West 1992 {published data only}

West RH. The effect of topical corticosteroids on laser‐induced peripheral anterior synechiae. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Ophthalmology 1992;20(4):305‐9. CENTRAL

References to studies awaiting assessment

Božić 2011 {published data only}

Božić M, Hentova‐Senćanić P, Kontić D, Marković V, Marjanović I. Prevention of intraocular pressure elevation after argon laser trabeculoplasty in primary open angle glaucoma [Превенција наглог повећања интраокуларногпритиска после лечења примарног глаукомаотвореног угла трабекулопластиком аргонскимласером]. Journal of the Serbian Medical Society 2011;139(1‐2):12‐7. CENTRAL

Ha 1991 {published data only}

Ha I, Hong J. The effects of 1% apraclonidine in preventing the intraocular pressure rise following argon laser surgery in glaucoma. Journal of the Korean Ophthalmological Society 1991;32(1):68‐73. CENTRAL

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Barkana 2007

Barkana Y, Belkin M. Selective laser trabeculoplasty. Survey of Ophthalmology 2007;52(6):634‐54.

Bradley 2000

Bradley JM, Anderssohn AM, Colvis CM, Parshley DE, Zhu XH, Ruddat MS, et al. Mediation of laser trabeculoplasty‐induced matrix metalloproteinase expression by IL‐1beta and TNFalpha. Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science 2000;41(2):422‐30.

Bylsma 1988

Bylsma SS, Samples JR, Acott TS, Van Buskirk EM. Trabecular cell division after argon laser trabeculoplasty. Archives of Ophthalmology 1988;106(4):544‐7.

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Chung PY, Schuman JS, Netland PA, Lloyd‐Muhammad RA, Jacobs DS. Five‐year results of a randomized, prospective, clinical trial of diode vs argon laser trabeculoplasty for open‐angle glaucoma. American Journal of Ophthalmology 1998;126(2):185‐90.

Deeks 2011

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Englert 1997

Englert JA, Cox TA, Allingham RR, Shields MB. Argon vs diode laser trabeculoplasty. American Journal of Ophthalmology 1997;124(5):627‐31.

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The Glaucoma Laser Trial Research Group. The Glaucoma Laser Trial (GLT). 2. Results of argon laser trabeculoplasty versus topical medicines. Ophthalmology 1990;97(11):1403‐13.

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Harasymowycz 2005

Harasymowycz PJ, Papamatheakis DG, Latina M, De Leon M, Lesk MR, Damji KF. Selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) complicated by intraocular pressure elevation in eyes with heavily pigmented trabecular meshworks. American Journal of Ophthalmology 2005;139(6):1110‐3.

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Levene R. Major early complications of laser trabeculoplasty. Ophthalmic Surgery 1983;14(11):947‐53.

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Melamed S, Pei J, Epstein DL. Short‐term effect of argon laser trabeculoplasty in monkeys. Archives of Ophthalmology 1985;103(10):1546‐52.

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Zhang 2013

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Characteristics of studies

Characteristics of included studies [ordered by study ID]

Barnebey 1993

Methods

Study design: vehicle‐controlled, double‐masked, multicenter, parallel‐group RCT

Country: US

Number randomized:

Total: 232

Per group: brimonidine/brimonidine = 62, brimonidine/vehicle = 57, vehicle/brimonidine = 53, vehicle/vehicle = 60

Exclusions after randomization: none reported

Number analyzed:

Total: 232

Per group: brimonidine/brimonidine = 62, brimonidine/vehicle = 57, vehicle/brimonidine = 53, vehicle/vehicle = 60

Unit of analysis (participants vs eyes): eye

Losses to follow‐up: 10 eyes had unacceptably high IOPs within the first 3 hours after surgery (brimonidine/brimonidine = 1, brimonidine/vehicle = 1, vehicle/vehicle = 8). These participants were released from the study and treated at the discretion of the investigator.

How was missing data handled?: data from the released participants included in the analysis

Reported power calculation: power calculation not reported but the authors stated, "this study had an 80% success rate in detecting a difference between treatments in the incidence of IOP elevation of approximately 21%."

Unusual study design (any issues with study design)?: no

Participants

Age (mean ± SD; years): brimonidine/brimonidine = 69.3 ± 1.4, brimonidine/vehicle = 63.9 ± 1.8, vehicle/brimonidine = 66.8 ± 1.5, vehicle/vehicle = 66.9 ± 1.4

Females: brimonidine/brimonidine = 47%, brimonidine/vehicle = 58%, vehicle/brimonidine = 58%, vehicle/vehicle = 53%

Inclusion criteria: people with uncontrolled glaucoma whose IOPs were inadequately controlled despite maximal tolerated medication, and in whom 360° ALP was indicated

Exclusion criteria: people with active ocular infection or inflammation, contraindications to alpha‐agonist treatment or hyposensitivity to alpha‐agonists or other components of the formulation, women of childbearing potential or who were nursing, people taking topical or systemic alpha‐agonists 2 weeks prior to study entry or who took systemic clonidine 4 weeks before study entry

Equivalence of baseline characteristics: yes, "No significant differences were noted between treatments or sites in demographic data."

Interventions

Intervention 1: brimonidine 0.5%, 30 to 45 min before and immediately after ALT

Intervention 2: brimonidine 0.5%, 30 to 45 min before but vehicle immediately after ALT

Intervention 3: vehicle, 30 to 45 min before but brimonidine 0.5% immediately after ALT

Intervention 4: vehicle, 30 to 45 min before and immediately after ALT

Length of follow‐up:

Planned: 1, 2, and 3 hours, 1 to 2, and 4 to 6 weeks after ALT

Actual: 1, 2, and 3 hours, 1 to 2, and 4 to 6 weeks after ALT

Outcomes

Primary outcome: mean IOP

Secondary outcomes: mean IOP lowering in contralateral eye, mean systolic BP after treatment, mean heart rate after treatment

Adverse events reported: yes

Intervals at which outcomes assessed: hourly for 3 hours; 1 to 2 weeks, and 4 to 6 weeks

Notes

Trial registration: not reported

Funding sources: not reported

Disclosures of interest: 3 authors were employees of Allergan Pharmaceuticals, who make Alphagan, a brimonidine tartrate ophthalmic solution

Study period: not reported

Reported subgroup analyses: no

Risk of bias

Bias

Authors' judgement

Support for judgement

Random sequence generation (selection bias)

Unclear risk

"Patients were assigned to one of four treatment groups in a randomized, double‐masked fashion..."

States randomization was done but not the method of randomization.

Allocation concealment (selection bias)

Unclear risk

Allocation concealment not reported.

Masking of participants and personnel (performance bias)

Unclear risk

"Patients were assigned to one of four treatment groups in a randomized, double‐masked fashion..."

Authors reported that the study was double‐masked, but did not say who was masked: participants, surgeons, or outcome assessors.

Masking of outcome assessment (detection bias)

High risk

No information provided about outcome assessors, but lid retraction and conjunctival blanching is a known adverse effect of brimonidine, which would have been obvious to a clinician at the time of IOP measurements at post‐ALT checkpoints as to whether the vehicle or study medication was used.

Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias)
All outcomes

Low risk

Participants with "unacceptably high IOPs" at 3 hours were released from further study participation but data from these participants was still included in the analysis.

Selective reporting (reporting bias)

Unclear risk

Unclear whether there was selective outcome reporting.

Other bias

High risk

3 of the authors were employees of Allergan, the company that manufactures brimonidine.

Barnes 1999

Methods

Study design: parallel‐group RCT

Country: US

Number randomized:

Total: 56 eyes of 41 participants

Per group: brimonidine = 29 eyes, apraclonidine = 27 eyes

Exclusions after randomization: 10/15 participants who required bilateral ALT had randomization to receive the identical medication for each eye, and for these participants, only the first eye was included in the study.

Number analyzed:

Total: 46 eyes of 41 participants

Per group: brimonidine = 23 eyes, apraclonidine = 23 eyes

Unit of analysis (participants vs eyes): eyes

Losses to follow‐up: none reported

How was missing data handled?: N/A

Reported power calculation: yes, power of 80%

Unusual study design (any issues with study design)?: the unit of measurement was the eye and not the participant. The second eye was treated 2 to 6 weeks after the first.

Participants

Age (mean; years): brimonidine = 69.9, apraclonidine = 62.4

Females: brimonidine = 48%; apraclonidine = 30%

Inclusion criteria: aged ≥ 21 years with diagnosis of POAG, pigmentary glaucoma, pseudoexfoliation syndrome, or ocular hypertension. Participants had IOP too high for their level of optic nerve cupping, no glaucoma medications were used 12 to 24 hours before ALT

Exclusion criteria: people with active ocular inflammation, contraindications to treatment with alpha‐agonists, or known hypersensitivities to alpha‐agonists, women of childbearing potential, current use of either of the study medications, previous experience with ALT

Equivalence of baseline characteristics: no statistical difference in the baseline IOP levels, number of laser applications, or energy level used in either group. Statistically significant difference in mean age (P = 0.008) of each group and the distribution of gender in each group; however, these were likely not clinically significant differences.

Interventions

Intervention 1: brimonidine 0.2%, 30 to 45 min before and immediately after 360° ALT

Intervention 2: apraclonidine 1.0%, 30 to 45 min before and immediately after 360° ALT

Length of follow‐up:

Planned: 4 hours after surgery

Actual: 4 hours after surgery

Outcomes

Primary outcome: maximum IOP change (from baseline to the highest postoperative IOP)

Secondary outcomes: none reported

Adverse events reported: no

Intervals at which outcomes assessed: baseline; 1, 2, and 4 hours after ALT

Notes

Trial registration: not reported

Funding sources: research grant provided by Allergan, Inc

Disclosures of interest: "The authors have no proprietary interest in the products described in this study."

Study period: not reported

Reported subgroup analyses: no

Risk of bias

Bias

Authors' judgement

Support for judgement

Random sequence generation (selection bias)

Low risk

"A random‐number generator assigned patients to a treatment group before ALT."

Allocation concealment (selection bias)

Unclear risk

Allocation concealment not reported.

Masking of participants and personnel (performance bias)

Low risk

"Both patient and physician were masked as to which agent the patient received" "…and a technician would give the appropriate medication without the physician or patients' knowledge."

Masking of outcome assessment (detection bias)

Unclear risk

Details about outcome assessors not reported.

Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias)
All outcomes

Low risk

Some participants' randomization caused them to receive the same medication for each eye, so only the first eye was included in the study to account for the intra‐dependability of eyes and to prevent skewed results.

Selective reporting (reporting bias)

Unclear risk

Unclear whether there was selective outcome reporting.

Other bias

High risk

Study reported a research grant provided by Allergan, Inc, which makes the brimonidine 0.2% ophthalmic solution.

Birt 1995

Methods

Study design: parallel‐group RCT

Country: US

Number randomized:

Total: 72

Per group: 2 doses apraclonidine = 24, 1 dose apraclonidine before surgery = 24, 1 dose apraclonidine after surgery = 24

Exclusions after randomization: none

Number analyzed:

Total: 72

Per group: 2 doses apraclonidine = 24, 1 dose apraclonidine before surgery = 24, 1 dose apraclonidine after surgery = 24

Unit of analysis (participants vs eyes): participants

Losses to follow‐up: none reported

How was missing data handled?: N/A

Reported power calculation: no

Unusual study design (any issues with study design)?: potentially not double‐masked, as there was no mention of a vehicle drop given, so participant could have known which group he or she was in based on when the drops were given.

Participants

Age (mean ± SD; years): 2 doses apraclonidine = 70.4 ± 10.6, 1 dose apraclonidine before surgery = 69.3 ± 10.9, 1 dose after surgery = 69.2 ± 9.6

Females: 2 doses apraclonidine = 75%, 1 dose apraclonidine before surgery = 75%, 1 dose apraclonidine after surgery = 54%

Inclusion criteria: POAG, including an elevated IOP in the setting of either characteristic glaucomatous optic nerve damage on stereoscopic biomicroscopic exam or glaucomatous visual field defects on Humphrey automated field testing, or both

Exclusion criteria: previous treatment over 360° of the angle, unable to return for the 24‐hour IOP check

Equivalence of baseline characteristics: yes, no significant difference between the groups in the mean power setting used or in the mean number of burns, or the mean IOP at baseline and between‐group differences were not significant for race, gender, vision, age, and number of medications

Interventions

Intervention 1: 2 doses apraclonidine 1.0%, 15 min before and immediately after the laser procedure

Intervention 2: 1 dose apraclonidine 1.0%, 15 min before the laser procedure

Intervention 3: 1 dose apraclonidine 1.0%, immediately after the laser procedure

Length of follow‐up:

Planned: 24 hours

Actual: 24 hours

Outcomes

Primary outcomes: IOP at 1 hour and 24 hours after surgery

Secondary outcomes: none reported

Adverse events reported: no

Intervals at which outcomes assessed: baseline; 1, 24 hours

Notes

Trial registration: not reported

Funding sources: none reported

Disclosures of interest: not reported

Study period: 1 September to 30 November 1994

Reported subgroup analyses: no

Risk of bias

Bias

Authors' judgement

Support for judgement

Random sequence generation (selection bias)

Low risk

"The patients were randomly assigned with the use of a random number table to one of three treatment groups."

Allocation concealment (selection bias)

Unclear risk

Allocation concealment was not reported.

Masking of participants and personnel (performance bias)

Unclear risk

Personnel appear to be masked, "…a second investigator (D.H.S.), who was unaware of the group, assignment, performed the laser treatment…"; however, the report did not mention a vehicle drop given, so the participant could have known to which group (before or after surgery or both) they were assigned.

Masking of outcome assessment (detection bias)

Low risk

"…a third investigator (B.M.), who was also unaware of group assignment, measured the IOP."

Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias)
All outcomes

Unclear risk

Unclear whether there were missing data or how they were handled.

Selective reporting (reporting bias)

Unclear risk

Unclear whether there was selective outcome reporting.

Other bias

Low risk

None

Brown 1988

Methods

Study design: parallel‐group RCT

Country: US

Number randomized:

Total: 169 undergoing 1 of 3 surgeries (trabeculoplasty, iridotomy, or capsulotomy)

Per group: not reported for ALT alone; for full study population apraclonidine = 85, placebo = 84

Exclusions after randomization: 4/169 could not be evaluated due to loss to follow‐up or refusal of treatment medication (apraclonidine = 2, placebo = 2)

Number analyzed (total and per group):

Total: 83 who underwent trabeculoplasty (out of 165 for all lasers)

Per group: apraclonidine = 41, placebo = 42

Unit of analysis (participants vs eyes): participant (1 eye per participant)

Losses to follow‐up: apraclonidine = 1 (type of surgery not given) refused to wait for the follow‐up exam

How was missing data handled?: authors only analyzed the 164 who had all outcomes collected

Reported power calculation: no

Unusual study design (any issues with study design)?: randomization was to 3 types of lasers, but for this review we used only data from the trabeculoplasty group).

Participants

Age: not reported for ALT alone, overall cohort (mean ± SD; years): apraclonidine = 64 ± 15, placebo = 65 ± 13

Females: not reported for ALT alone, overall cohort: apraclonidine = 61%, placebo = 55%

Inclusion criteria: people who were about to undergo trabeculoplasty, iridotomy, or capsulotomy*, with inadequately controlled IOP despite maximum‐tolerated medical therapy, receiving 360° of angle treatment

Exclusion criteria: active ocular infection or inflammation, unstable cardiovascular disease, any abnormality preventing reliable applanation tonometry, pregnant or nursing women, women of childbearing potential, participation in any other study within the past 30 days, people with vision in 1 eye only, people taking systemic clonidine, and people whose fellow eye had been enrolled previously in the study

Equivalence of baseline characteristics: yes, there were no significant differences between treatment groups with respect to demographic characteristics (P < 0.05), baseline visual acuity, preoperative IOP, pulse rate, history of glaucoma or prior surgery, or number/type of antiglaucoma medications being taken at the time of laser surgery

Interventions

Intervention 1: 1 drop apraclonidine (para‐amino‐clonidine(PAC)) 1% before surgery and 1 drop after surgery

Intervention 2: 1 drop placebo before surgery and 1 drop after surgery

Length of follow‐up:

Planned: 1 week

Actual: 1 week

Outcomes

Primary outcome: control of IOP in the first 3 postoperative hours after laser surgery

Secondary outcomes: pulse rate, diastolic BP, systolic BP

Adverse events reported: yes

Intervals at which outcomes assessed: 45 min; 1, 2, 3 hours; 1 week

Notes

Trial registration: not reported

Funding sources: supported in party by an unrestricted research grant from Research to Prevent Blindness, Inc

Disclosures of interest: not reported, but 1 author worked for Alcon and the study used an Alcon product

Study period: not reported

Reported subgroup analyses: yes, by type of surgery

*Study included trabeculoplasty, peripheral iridotomy, and capsulotomy, but we used only the trabeculoplasty results

Risk of bias

Bias

Authors' judgement

Support for judgement

Random sequence generation (selection bias)

Low risk

"Subjects were assigned to either the 1% ALO 2145 [apraclonidine] or placebo groups by a randomized treatment code."

Allocation concealment (selection bias)

Unclear risk

Allocation concealment not reported.

Masking of participants and personnel (performance bias)

Unclear risk

Authors reported that the study was double‐masked, but did not say who was masked: participants, surgeons, or outcome assessors.

Masking of outcome assessment (detection bias)

High risk

Masking of outcome assessors was not reported, but apraclonidine has ocular effects which are difficult to mask such as conjunctival blanching and upper eyelid elevation.

Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias)
All outcomes

Unclear risk

4 participants who were randomized were not included in the analyses but that was due to refusal to wait for follow‐up measures or refusal of study drugs, and therefore unlikely to be due to the study drugs themselves.

Selective reporting (reporting bias)

Unclear risk

Unclear whether there was selective outcome reporting.

Other bias

Low risk

None

Carassa 1992

Methods

Study design: parallel‐group RCT

Country: Italy

Number randomized:

Total: 30 total, 10 who underwent trabeculoplasty

Per group: within the trabeculoplasty group, apraclonidine = 5, placebo = 5

Exclusions after randomization: none

Number analyzed:

Total: 30 total, 10 who underwent trabeculoplasty

Per group: within the trabeculoplasty group, apraclonidine = 5, placebo = 5

Unit of analysis (participants vs eyes): participant (1 eye per participant)

Losses to follow‐up: none

How was missing data handled?: N/A

Reported power calculation: no

Unusual study design (any issues with study design)?: baseline demographics and other characteristics not reported

Participants

Age: not reported

Females: not reported

Inclusion criteria: aged ≥ 18 years, scheduled for LTP, iridotomy, or posterior capsulotomy

Exclusion criteria: active ocular infection or inflammation, past or present severe ocular disease (except cataract and glaucoma, unstable cardiovascular disease, any abnormality preventing reliable applanation tonometry, pregnancy (actual or potential) or breastfeeding, 1 single seeing eye, treatment systemic clonidine, previous enrollment of the fellow eye in the study

Equivalence of baseline characteristics: baseline characteristics not reported

Interventions

Intervention 1: 1 drop apraclonidine 1%, 1 hour prior and 1 drop immediately after 360° ALT surgery

Intervention 2: 1 drop placebo, 1 hour prior and 1 drop immediately after 360° ALT surgery

Length of follow‐up:

Planned: 1 week

Actual: only up to 3 hours was reported

Outcomes

Primary outcomes: mean IOP and IOP changes during the postoperative period, maximum IOP increases from baseline, IOP increase of 5 mmHg and 10 mmHg from baseline

Secondary outcomes: heart rate, BP

Adverse events reported: yes

Intervals at which outcomes assessed: baseline; 1, 2, 3 hours

Notes

Trial registration: not reported

Funding sources: none reported

Disclosures of interest: not reported

Study period: not reported

Reported subgroup analyses: yes, subgroups were different laser procedures

Risk of bias

Bias

Authors' judgement

Support for judgement

Random sequence generation (selection bias)

Unclear risk

"The study was designed as a prospective, randomized, double‐masked, and placebo‐controlled trial."

States randomization was done but not the method of randomization.

Allocation concealment (selection bias)

Unclear risk

Allocation concealment not reported.

Masking of participants and personnel (performance bias)

Unclear risk

Authors reported that the study was double‐masked, but did not say who was masked: participants, surgeons, or outcome assessors.

Masking of outcome assessment (detection bias)

High risk

Masking of outcome assessors not reported; however, apraclonidine can cause conjunctival blanching and eyelid raising, which would have been visible to the person assessing IOP after the procedure.

Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias)
All outcomes

Unclear risk

Unclear whether there were any missing data or how they were handled.

Selective reporting (reporting bias)

High risk

In the methods, the authors stated that, "Ocular examination, heart rate count and blood pressure measurement were repeated hourly during the first three postoperative hours and again one week post operatively;" however, no data were presented from the 1‐week assessments.

Other bias

High risk

Funding sources not reported, very small sample sizes within the different surgeries do not allow for statistical analyses for each surgery alone; authors stated, "Due to the low numbers of cases in each series, individual statistical analyses for each of the 3 series were considered inappropriate."

Chevrier 1999

Methods

Study design: parallel‐group RCT

Country: Canada

Number randomized:

Total: all laser treatments = 85, trabeculoplasty = 51

Per group: all laser treatments, brimonidine = 43, apraclonidine = 42; trabeculoplasty, brimonidine = 27, apraclonidine = 24

Exclusions after randomization: none reported

Number analyzed:

Total: all laser treatments = 85; trabeculoplasty = 51

Per group: all laser treatments, brimonidine = 43, apraclonidine = 42; trabeculoplasty, brimonidine = 27, apraclonidine = 24

Unit of analysis (participants vs eyes): participant (1 eye per participant)

Losses to follow‐up: none

How was missing data handled?: N/A

Reported power calculation: no

Unusual study design (any issues with study design)?: none

Participants

Age (mean ± SD; years): (only available for all laser treatments): brimonidine = 70 ± 12.0, apraclonidine = 67.3 ± 13.7

Females: (only available for all laser treatments): brimonidine = 67%, apraclonidine = 45%

Inclusion criteria: medically uncontrolled IOP, any type of glaucoma, initial or repeat ALTs 180° to any quadrant

Exclusion criteria: chronic topical alpha‐2 agonist therapy, use of topical alpha‐2 agonist within the past 2 weeks, active ocular infection or inflammation, abnormality precluding reliable applanation tonometry, unable to stay for the 1‐hour follow‐up IOP check

Equivalence of baseline characteristics: no, "No significant difference were found among treatment groups in terms of age, race, or baseline IOP…There was a statistically significant difference in the gender distribution between groups…" Also noted that uneven distribution of pseudoexfoliation pigmentary glaucoma/mixed glaucoma may affect post laser IOP spike numbers

Interventions

Intervention 1: 1 drop apraclonidine hydrochloride 0.5%, 10 min prior to laser surgery

Intervention 2: 1 drop brimonidine tartrate 0.2%, 10 min prior to laser surgery

Length of follow‐up:

Planned: 1 hour

Actual: 1 hour

Outcomes

Primary outcome: IOP

Secondary outcomes: mean IOP change, IOP elevation ≥ 5 mmHg change from baseline

Adverse events reported: yes, reported no systemic or localized ocular reactions and no other adverse effects

Intervals at which outcomes assessed: baseline; 1 hour after surgery

Notes

Trial registration: not reported

Funding sources: not reported

Disclosures of interest: "The authors hold no proprietary interest in the drugs used in this study."

Study period: January 1998 to May 1998

Reported subgroup analyses: yes, subgroups were different types of anterior segment laser procedures

Risk of bias

Bias

Authors' judgement

Support for judgement

Random sequence generation (selection bias)

Unclear risk

Randomization method not reported.

Allocation concealment (selection bias)

Unclear risk

Allocation concealment not reported.

Masking of participants and personnel (performance bias)

Unclear risk

No information on masking of participants and personnel reported.

Masking of outcome assessment (detection bias)

Low risk

IOP analysis performed by the same masked observer at 1 hour post laser, every effort was made to use the same tonometer as prior to surgery.

Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias)
All outcomes

Low risk

No loss to follow‐up; all participants who were randomized completed all assessments. Exclusion criteria was for people who could stay for 1 hour post laser surgery, so there was no attrition.

Selective reporting (reporting bias)

Unclear risk

Unclear whether there was selective outcome reporting.

Other bias

Unclear risk

Funding sources not reported. Also, this study reported subgroup analysis for the ALT group but did not report baseline demographics by subgroup.

Dapling 1994

Methods

Study design: parallel‐group RCT

Country: England

Number randomized:

Total: 75 eyes

Per group: apraclonidine = 26 eyes, pilocarpine = 23 eyes, apraclonidine/pilocarpine = 26 eyes

Exclusions after randomization: none reported

Number analyzed:

Total: 75 eyes

Per group: apraclonidine = 26 eyes, pilocarpine = 23 eyes, apraclonidine/pilocarpine = 26 eyes

Unit of analysis: eyes, if both eyes required LTP, then the first eye to be treated was entered into the study.

Losses to follow‐up: none reported

How was missing data handled?: N/A

Reported power calculation: no

Unusual study design (any issues with study design)?: none

Participants

Age (mean (range); years): apraclonidine = 72.2 (53 to 84), pilocarpine = 68.4 (53 to 86), apraclonidine/pilocarpine = 71.3 (46 to 87)

Females: not reported

Inclusion criteria: OAG with in IOP > 21 mmHg

Exclusion criteria: regular pilocarpine to either eye, active ocular infection or inflammation present, unstable cardiovascular disease, taking systemic clonidine

Equivalence of baseline characteristics: yes, "There was no statistically significant difference between the groups with respect to age, eye color, type of glaucoma, or glaucoma medication. All patients had similar disease as judged by single medication, duration of disease, and cumulative treatment."

Interventions

Intervention 1: 1 drop apraclonidine 1% 1 hour before and 1 drop immediately after 180° ALT

Intervention 2: 1 drop pilocarpine 4% immediately after 180° ALT

Intervention 3: 1 drop of apraclonidine 1%, 1 hour before and 1 drop of apraclonidine 1%/1 drop of pilocarpine 4%, immediately after 180° ALT

Length of follow‐up:

Planned: 1 week

Actual: 1 week

Outcomes

Primary outcome: IOP

Secondary outcomes: heart rate, BP

Adverse events reported: no

Intervals at which outcomes assessed: baseline; 1, 2, 3 hours; 1 week following trabeculoplasty

Notes

Trial registration: not reported

Funding sources: Alcon Laboratories in England supported the study

Disclosures of interest: no disclosures reported

Study period: not reported

Reported subgroup analyses: no

Risk of bias

Bias

Authors' judgement

Support for judgement

Random sequence generation (selection bias)

Unclear risk

"Patients were then randomly allocated to one of the three treatment groups."

Did not state how the sequence was generated.

Allocation concealment (selection bias)

Unclear risk

Allocation concealment not reported.

Masking of participants and personnel (performance bias)

High risk

Masking of participants and personnel not reported but due to the nature of the interventions, participants would know whether or not they got medication before or after the surgery and that they received 2 drops of medication if in the combination group.

Masking of outcome assessment (detection bias)

Low risk

"The observer was masked to the study group of the patient."

Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias)
All outcomes

Low risk

Data available for all participants who were randomized.

Selective reporting (reporting bias)

Unclear risk

Unclear whether there was selective outcome reporting.

Other bias

High risk

Supported by Alcon Laboratories, which makes products containing apraclonidine and pilocarpine. Additionally, a difference drop regimen without use of vehicle drops would leave participants essentially unmasked.

David 1993

Methods

Study design: parallel‐group RCT

Country: Israel, US

Number randomized:

Total: 248 eyes

Per group: not reported

Exclusions after randomization: 9 were removed from the statistical analysis (2 improperly entered into the study, 7 due to protocol violations)

Number analyzed:

Total: 239 eyes

Per group: brimonidine/brimonidine = 60, brimonidine/vehicle = 62, vehicle/brimonidine = 61, vehicle/vehicle = 56

Unit of analysis: eyes, 1 eye per participant

Losses to follow‐up: none

How was missing data handled?: N/A

Reported power calculation: no

Unusual study design: none

Participants

Age: not reported

Females: not reported

Inclusion criteria: aged ≥ 21 years with useful vision in both eyes

Exclusion criteria: prior glaucoma surgery or intraocular surgery

Equivalence of baseline characteristics: "The groups were similar with regard to the type of pressure‐lowering medications that the patients were receiving prior to enrollment in the study." "The four groups were similar with respect to demographics and iris color."

Interventions

Intervention 1: brimonidine 0.5%, 30 to 45 min before and after 360° ALT

Intervention 2: brimonidine 0.5%, 30 to 45 min before 360° ALT and vehicle after

Intervention 3: vehicle, 30 to 45 min before and brimonidine 0.5% after ALT

Intervention 4: vehicle, 30 to 45 min before and after ALT

Length of follow‐up:

Planned: 4 to 6 weeks

Actual: 4 to 6 weeks

Outcomes

Primary outcome: IOP

Secondary outcomes: heart rate, BP

Adverse events reported: yes

Intervals at which outcomes assessed: baseline; 1, 2, 3 hours; 1 to 2 weeks after ALT; 4 to 6 weeks after ALT

Notes

Type of study: published

Funding sources: none reported

Disclosures of interest: 3 authors were employees of Allergan Inc. The other authors had no proprietary interest in either Allergan Inc or its products.

Study period: not reported

Reported subgroup analyses: yes, some results were reported combining participants into those who had any brimonidine vs those in the vehicle‐only group.

Risk of bias

Bias

Authors' judgement

Support for judgement

Random sequence generation (selection bias)

Unclear risk

Description of randomization method not provided.

Allocation concealment (selection bias)

Unclear risk

Allocation concealment not reported.

Masking of participants and personnel (performance bias)

Unclear risk

No information on masking of participants and personnel reported.

Masking of outcome assessment (detection bias)

High risk

Brimonidine can have ocular adverse effects of conjunctival blanching and lid retraction, which would be easy for outcome assessors to see even if they were masked.

Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias)
All outcomes

High risk

"Of the 248 patients enrolled in the study, nine were disqualified from the statistical analysis. Two subjects had been improperly entered into the study and seven were excluded due to study protocol violations." Participants with unacceptably high IOP elevations were treated and removed from the study, and not included in the final analysis, but they provided important information about which groups they initially belonged in and could alter the numbers reported of how effective brimonidine was in lowering IOP.

Selective reporting (reporting bias)

High risk

Participants with unacceptably high IOP elevations were treated and removed from the study, and not included in the final analysis, but they provided important information about which groups they initially belonged in and could alter the numbers reported of how effective brimonidine was in lowering IOP.

Other bias

High risk

3 authors were employees of Allergan Inc, which produces ophthalmic drugs containing brimonidine.

Donnelly 2006

Methods

Study design: intra‐individual RCT

Country: not reported

Number randomized:

Total: 20 eyes of 10 participants

Per group: brimonidine = 10 eyes, apraclonidine = 10 eyes

Exclusions after randomization: none reported

Number analyzed:

Total: 20 eyes of 10 participants

Per group: brimonidine = 10 eyes, apraclonidine = 10 eyes

Unit of analysis: eyes

Losses to follow‐up: none reported

How was missing data handled?: not reported

Reported power calculation: no

Unusual study design (any issues with study design)?: none

Participants

Age: not reported

Females: not reported

Inclusion criteria: SLT for POAG on both eyes

Exclusion criteria: not reported

Equivalence of baseline characteristics: not reported

Interventions

Intervention 1: brimonidine tartrate 0.15%, 1 hour prior to 360° LTP, 1 drop randomly assigned in the left or right eye

Intervention 2: apraclonidine 0.5%, 1 hour prior to 360° LTP, 1 drop assigned in opposite eye of the brimonidine tartrate treatment

Length of follow‐up:

Planned: not reported

Actual: 1 week

Outcomes

Primary outcome: IOP

Secondary outcomes: not reported

Adverse events reported: yes, stated there were no non‐ocular clinically significant symptoms in either group

Intervals at which outcomes assessed: baseline; 1 hour; 1 week post‐surgery

Notes

Trial registration: not reported

Funding sources: not reported

Disclosures of interest: not reported

Study period: not reported

Reported subgroup analyses: no

Risk of bias

Bias

Authors' judgement

Support for judgement

Random sequence generation (selection bias)

Unclear risk

Randomization method not reported.

Allocation concealment (selection bias)

Unclear risk

Allocation concealment not reported.

Masking of participants and personnel (performance bias)

Unclear risk

Masking of participants and personnel not reported.

Masking of outcome assessment (detection bias)

Unclear risk

Masking of outcome assessors not reported.

Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias)
All outcomes

Unclear risk

Unclear whether there were any missing data or how they were handled.

Selective reporting (reporting bias)

Unclear risk

Unclear whether there was selective outcome reporting.

Other bias

High risk

Both eyes of a participant were included in the study and received different medications; however, the authors did not report if and how they took into account the inter‐dependency of eyes within the same participant.

Elsas 1991

Methods

Study design: parallel‐group RCT

Country: Norway

Number randomized:

Total: 50

Per group: pilocarpine pretreatment = 25, no pretreatment = 25

Exclusions after randomization: none

Number analyzed:

Total: 50

Per group: pilocarpine pretreatment = 25, no pretreatment = 25

Unit of analysis (participants vs eyes): participant (1 eye per participant)

Losses to follow‐up: none reported

How was missing data handled?: not reported

Reported power calculation: no

Unusual study design: none

Participants

Age (mean ± SD; years): pilocarpine pretreatment = 69 ± 9.9, no treatment = 71.9 ± 7.1

Females: not reported

Inclusion criteria: IOP ≥ 25 mmHg measured by applanation tonometry at the initial evaluation by 1 of the authors and just before laser treatment. The mean of these 2 was taken as prelaser IOP. Glaucomatous disk damage or visual field defects (or both), defined as cupping of the optic nerve head extending to the margin of the disc, a difference of vertical cup‐disk ratio of ≥ 0.2 between the 2 eyes, and different degrees of disk pallor in the 2 eyes with no other explanation. No earlier glaucoma treatment.

Exclusion criteria: not reported

Equivalence of baseline characteristics: yes, "There is no evidence of dissimilarities between the two groups."

Interventions

Intervention 1: 2 drops pilocarpine 2%, 1 hour before LTP

Intervention 2: no pretreatment

Length of follow‐up:

Planned: 6 months

Actual: 6 months

Outcomes

Primary outcome: IOP

Secondary outcomes: number of participants with change in IOP > 10 mmHg or 20 mmHg, number of participants with peak IOP ≥ 50 mmHg

Adverse events reported: no

Intervals at which outcomes assessed: 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 24 hours after treatment; 1 week; 1, 3, 6 months

Notes

Trial registration: not reported

Funding sources: not reported

Disclosures of interest: not reported

Study period: September 1989 to December 1990

Reported subgroup analyses: no

Risk of bias

Bias

Authors' judgement

Support for judgement

Random sequence generation (selection bias)

Unclear risk

Reported participants were randomly assigned to a group but did not describe how randomization sequence was generated.

Allocation concealment (selection bias)

Unclear risk

Allocation concealment not reported.

Masking of participants and personnel (performance bias)

High risk

"The study was not masked because the pilocarpine induced miosis was very obvious to the investigators."

Masking of outcome assessment (detection bias)

High risk

Study was not masked because of pilocarpine's induced miosis which was very obvious to the investigators.

Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias)
All outcomes

Unclear risk

Unclear whether there were any missing data or how they were handled.

Selective reporting (reporting bias)

Low risk

IOP was the only outcome of interest and the focus of the paper; authors reported that, "visual field changes following LTP will be the subject of a separate study."

Other bias

Unclear risk

Funding sources not reported.

Hartenbaum 1999

Methods

Study design: parallel‐group, placebo controlled, RCT

Country: US (multicenter)

Number randomized:

Total: 122

Per group: dorozolamide = 61, placebo = 61

Exclusions after randomization: none reported

Number analyzed:

Total: 122

Per group: dorozolamide = 61, placebo = 61; in ALT group: dorozolamide = 17, placebo = 23

Unit of analysis: participant (1 eye per person)

Losses to follow‐up: none reported

How was missing data handled?: missing data were imputed by carrying forward data from the previous time point

Reported power calculation: yes, "With 60 patients per group, there was 90% power to detect such a difference at the P<0.05‐level (two‐sided)."

Participants

Age: not reported

Females: not reported

Inclusion criteria: to have posterior capsular opacity requiring Nd:YAG laser capsulotomy, OAG requiring ALT or any condition requiring ALT or Nd:YAG laser iridotomy

Exclusion criteria: ocular inflammation within the past 2 months, advanced visual field defects with risk of further loss if a spike in IOP were to occur, baseline IOP > 30 mmHg, use of corticosteroid, oral beta‐blocker, or oral carbonic anhydrase inhibitor therapy

Equivalence of baseline characteristics: yes, "Baseline characteristics were similar in both treatment groups."

Interventions

Intervention 1: 1 drop dorozolamide hydrochloride 2%, 1 hour before and 1 drop at the end of surgery

Intervention 2: 1 drop placebo, 1 hour before and 1 drop immediately after

Length of follow‐up:

Planned: 24 hours

Actual: 24 hours

Outcomes

Primary outcome: percentage of participants with an increase in IOP from the baseline of ≥ 10 mmHg during the first 4 hours after surgery

Secondary outcomes: heart rate, BP, incidence of adverse effects, ocular signs

Adverse events reported: yes

Intervals at which outcomes assessed: baseline; 1, 2, 3, 4, 24 hours

Notes

Trial registration: not reported

Funding sources: none reported

Disclosures of interest: the Dorzolamide Laser Study Group was sponsored by pharmaceutical research corporation, and multiple authors work for Merck Research Laboratories, which makes dorozolamide.

Study period: not reported

Reported subgroup analyses: no

Risk of bias

Bias

Authors' judgement

Support for judgement

Random sequence generation (selection bias)

Unclear risk

No description of how randomization sequence was generated.

Allocation concealment (selection bias)

Unclear risk

Allocation concealment not reported.

Masking of participants and personnel (performance bias)

Unclear risk

Authors reported that the study was double‐masked, but did not say who was masked: participants, surgeons, or outcome assessors.

Masking of outcome assessment (detection bias)

Unclear risk

Authors reported that the study was double‐masked, but did not say who was masked: participants, surgeons, or outcome assessors.

Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias)
All outcomes

Unclear risk

Missing data imputed by carrying forward data from the previous time point, but the authors did not specify how much attrition occurred.

Selective reporting (reporting bias)

High risk

Did not provide table of baseline characteristics. Did not discuss attrition of study participants, and did not report data at 24 hours despite mentioning it as part of methods section, no mention of specific ocular adverse events, and did not describe number of participants with systemic adverse effects other than to say there was no difference between groups.

Other bias

High risk

Merck is the maker of dorozolamide, and several authors were employees of Merck.

Holmwood 1992

Methods

Study design: parallel‐group RCT

Country: US

Number randomized:

Total: 60

Per group: apraclonidine before and after = 30, apraclonidine only after = 30

Exclusions after randomization: not reported

Number analyzed:

Total: 60

Per group: apraclonidine before and after = 30, apraclonidine only after = 30

Unit of analysis (participants vs eyes): participant (1 eye per participant)

Losses to follow‐up: none reported

How was missing data handled?: N/A

Reported power calculation: no

Participants

Age: not reported

Females: not reported

Inclusion criteria: people who had POAG, defined by optic disk cupping and visual field loss, and a pretreatment IOP > 21 mmHg on maximally tolerated medical therapy

Exclusion criteria: previous intraocular surgical procedures or laser treatment, people who had secondary OAG (e.g. pigmentary, exfoliative, or uveitic), and aged < 40 years

Equivalence of baseline characteristics: yes, "There were no statistical differences between preoperative IOP and the number of antiglaucoma medications between the two groups of patients."

Interventions

Intervention 1: 1 drop apraclonidine 1%, 1 hour before and immediately after 360° LTP

Intervention 2: 1 drop apraclonidine 1%, only after 360° LTP

Length of follow‐up:

Planned: 2 hours

Actual: 2 hours

Outcomes

Primary outcome: IOP

Secondary outcomes: not reported

Adverse events reported: no

Intervals at which outcomes assessed: baseline; 1, 2 hours after treatment

Notes

Trial registration: not reported

Funding sources: "This study was supported in part by an unrestricted grant from Research to Prevent Blindness, Inc., New York, New York."

Disclosures of interest: none reported

Study period: not reported

Reported subgroup analyses: no

Risk of bias

Bias

Authors' judgement

Support for judgement

Random sequence generation (selection bias)

Low risk

"One of the following two apraclonidine open‐label treatment regimens was determined from a random table chart…"

Allocation concealment (selection bias)

Unclear risk

Allocation concealment not reported.

Masking of participants and personnel (performance bias)

High risk

Study was open‐label and no mention of vehicle drops, so participants would be aware whether they received drops before and after surgery or only after surgery.

Masking of outcome assessment (detection bias)

Low risk

"Intraocular pressure was measured one and two hours after treatment by an observer who was masked to the random assignment to treatment with apraclonidine."

Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias)
All outcomes

Unclear risk

Unclear whether there were any missing data or how they were handled.

Selective reporting (reporting bias)

Unclear risk

Unclear whether there was selective outcome reporting.

Other bias

Low risk

None

Karlik 1997

Methods

Study design: parallel‐group RCT

Country: not reported

Number randomized:

Total: 37

Per group: apraclonidine = 21, latanoprost = 16

Exclusions after randomization: not reported

Number analyzed:

Total: not reported

Per group: not reported

Unit of analysis (participants vs eyes): participant

Losses to follow‐up: not reported

How was missing data handled?: not reported

Reported power calculation: no

Unusual study design?: unclear whether participants had only 1 eye included or if they had both eyes included

Participants

Age: not reported

Females: not reported

Inclusion criteria: people undergoing ALT for glaucoma

Exclusion criteria: not reported

Equivalence of baseline characteristics: no (equivalence of baseline characteristics were not fully reported, and no demographics info were provided. Only medical history and procedure reported: "Both groups had equal types of glaucoma, pigmentation and no previous surgery.")

Interventions

Intervention 1: 1 drop apraclonidine 0.5%, 45 min prior to ALT

Intervention 2: 1 drop latanoprost 0.005%, 45 min prior to ALT

Length of follow‐up:

Planned: not reported

Actual: 6 weeks

Outcomes

Primary outcome: IOP

Secondary outcomes: not reported

Adverse events reported: no

Intervals at which outcomes assessed: apraclonidine group = 2 hours; 1, 6 weeks; latanoprost group = 2 hours; 1 day; 1, 6 weeks

Notes

Trial registration: not reported

Funding sources: not reported

Disclosures of interest: not reported

Study period: not reported

Reported subgroup analyses: no

Risk of bias

Bias

Authors' judgement

Support for judgement

Random sequence generation (selection bias)

Unclear risk

Randomization method not described.

Allocation concealment (selection bias)

Unclear risk

Allocation concealment not reported.

Masking of participants and personnel (performance bias)

Unclear risk

No information on masking of participants and personnel reported.

Masking of outcome assessment (detection bias)

Unclear risk

No information on efforts to mask the outcome assessors reported.

Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias)
All outcomes

Unclear risk

Unclear whether there were any missing data or how they were handled.

Selective reporting (reporting bias)

Unclear risk

Unclear whether there was selective outcome reporting.

Other bias

Unclear risk

Funding sources not reported; unclear whether the participant or the eye was analyzed.

Karlik 1998

Methods

Study design: parallel‐group RCT

Country: not reported

Number randomized:

Total: 50

Per group: apraclonidine = 28, latanoprost = 22

Exclusions after randomization: not reported

Number analyzed:

Total: not reported

Per group: not reported

Unit of analysis: participants

Losses to follow‐up: not reported

How was missing data handled?: not reported

Reported power calculation: no

Unusual study design?: unclear whether the study analyzed participants or eyes

Participants

Age: not reported

Females: not reported

Inclusion criteria: people undergoing ALT

Exclusion criteria: not reported

Equivalence of baseline characteristics: no, demographic characteristics were not discussed, only medical characteristics: "Both groups had equal types of glaucoma, pigmentation, and previous surgical histories."

Interventions

Intervention 1: 1 drop apraclonidine 0.5%, 1 hour prior to surgery

Intervention 2: 1 drop latanoprost 0.005%, 6 hours and 1 hour prior to surgery

Length of follow‐up:

Planned: not reported

Actual: 6 weeks

Outcomes

Primary outcome: IOP

Secondary outcomes: not reported

Adverse events reported: no

Intervals at which outcomes assessed: 1.5 hours; 1 day; 1, 6 weeks

Notes

Trial registration: not reported

Funding sources: not reported

Disclosures of interest: not reported

Study period: not reported

Reported subgroup analyses: no

Risk of bias

Bias

Authors' judgement

Support for judgement

Random sequence generation (selection bias)

Unclear risk

Sequence generation not described.

Allocation concealment (selection bias)

Unclear risk

Allocation concealment not reported.

Masking of participants and personnel (performance bias)

Unclear risk

No information on masking of participants and personnel reported.

Masking of outcome assessment (detection bias)

Unclear risk

No information on efforts to mask the outcome assessors reported.

Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias)
All outcomes

Unclear risk

Unclear whether there were any missing data or how they were handled.

Selective reporting (reporting bias)

Unclear risk

Unclear whether there was selective outcome reporting.

Other bias

Unclear risk

Funding sources not reported; unclear whether the participant or the eye were analyzed.

Kitazawa 1990

Methods

Study design: parallel‐group RCT

Country: not reported

Number randomized:

Total: 23 eyes (17 participants)

Per group: not reported

Exclusions after randomization: not reported

Number analyzed:

Total: not reported

Per group: not reported

Unit of analysis: eyes

Losses to follow‐up: not reported

How was missing data handled?: not reported

Reported power calculation: no

Unusual study design?: none

Participants

Age: not reported

Females: not reported

Inclusion criteria: participants with POAG undergoing ALT

Exclusion criteria: not reported

Equivalence of baseline characteristics: not reported

Interventions

Intervention 1: 1 drop apraclonidine 1%, 1 hour before and immediately after ALT

Intervention 2: 1 drop placebo, 1 hour before and immediately after ALT

Length of follow‐up:

Planned: 24 hours

Actual: 24 hours

Outcomes

Primary outcomes: IOP, flare intensity

Secondary outcomes: not reported

Adverse events reported: no

Intervals at which outcomes assessed: participants observed during a 24‐hour observation period, but specific time points not described.

Notes

Trial registration: not reported

Funding sources: not reported

Disclosures of interest: not reported

Study period: not reported

Reported subgroup analyses: no

Risk of bias

Bias

Authors' judgement

Support for judgement

Random sequence generation (selection bias)

Unclear risk

Randomization sequence generation not described.

Allocation concealment (selection bias)

Unclear risk

Allocation concealment not reported.

Masking of participants and personnel (performance bias)

Low risk

"We studied the effects of this compound on the inflammatory reaction and the IOP responses to ALT in a randomized, double‐masked manner."

Masking of outcome assessment (detection bias)

Low risk

"We studied the effects of this compound on the inflammatory reaction and the IOP responses to ALT in a randomized, double‐masked manner."

Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias)
All outcomes

Unclear risk

Unclear whether there were any missing data or how they were handled.

Selective reporting (reporting bias)

Unclear risk

Unclear whether there was selective outcome reporting.

Other bias

Unclear risk

Funding sources not reported.

Ma 1999

Methods

Study design: parallel‐group RCT

Country: Korea

Number randomized:

Total: 80

Per group: brimonidine/brimonidine = 20; brimonidine/placebo = 20, placebo/brimonidine = 20, placebo/placebo = 20

Exclusions after randomization: none reported

Number analyzed:

Total: 80

Per group: brimonidine/brimonidine = 20; brimonidine/placebo = 20, placebo/brimonidine = 20, placebo/placebo = 20

Unit of analysis (participants vs eyes): participant (1 eye per participant)

Losses to follow‐up: none reported

How was missing data handled?: N/A

Reported power calculation: no

Unusual study design?: none

Participants

Age (mean ± SD; years): overall = 58.4 ± 8.9, brimonidine/brimonidine = 57.7, brimonidine/placebo = 58.0, placebo/brimonidine = 60.6, placebo/placebo = 57.5

Females: brimonidine/brimonidine = 35%, brimonidine/placebo = 55%, placebo/brimonidine = 55%, placebo/placebo = 45%

Inclusion criteria: none listed

Exclusion criteria: people who had glaucoma or intraocular surgery, who had already received any systemic alpha‐agonist or had a hypersensitivity to any alpha‐agonist

Equivalence of baseline characteristics: yes, "No significant pretreatment differences in terms of age, sex, iris color, or baseline IOP were noted among treatment groups."

Interventions

Intervention 1: brimonidine 0.2%, 30 to 60 min before and immediately after 180° ALT

Intervention 2: brimonidine 0.2%, 30 to 60 min before and placebo immediately after 180° ALT

Intervention 3: placebo, 30 to 60 min before and brimonidine 0.2% immediately after 180° ALT

Intervention 4: placebo, 30 to 60 min before and immediately after

Length of follow‐up:

Planned: 4 weeks

Actual: 4 weeks

Outcomes

Primary outcome: IOP

Secondary outcomes: IOP of the contralateral eye, mean heart rate, systolic BP

Adverse events reported: yes

Intervals at which outcomes assessed: 1, 2, 3 hours; 1 day; 1, 4 weeks

Notes

Trial registration: not reported

Funding sources: "This study was supported by the Research Institute of Clinical Medicine, Chonnam University Hospital."

Disclosures of interest: none reported

Study period: not reported

Reported subgroup analyses: no

Risk of bias

Bias

Authors' judgement

Support for judgement

Random sequence generation (selection bias)

Unclear risk

Randomization sequence not described.

Allocation concealment (selection bias)

Unclear risk

Allocation concealment not reported.

Masking of participants and personnel (performance bias)

Unclear risk

No information on masking of participants and personnel reported.

Masking of outcome assessment (detection bias)

Unclear risk

No information on efforts to mask the outcome assessors reported.

Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias)
All outcomes

Unclear risk

Unclear whether there were any missing data or how they were handled.

Selective reporting (reporting bias)

Unclear risk

Unclear whether there was selective reporting.

Other bias

Low risk

None

Metcalfe 1989

Methods

Study design: prospective, randomized, double‐masked, parallel‐group RCT

Country: UK

Number randomized:

Total: 100

Per group: acetazolamide = 50; placebo = 50

Exclusions after randomization: N/A

Number analyzed:

Total: 100

Per group: acetazolamide = 50; placebo = 50

Unit of analysis (participants vs eyes): eyes, 1 eye per participant, chosen if that eye needed laser. If both eyes were lasered, the first eye was chosen for inclusion.

Losses to follow‐up: N/A

How was missing data handled?: not reported

Reported power calculation: no

Unusual study design?: no

Participants

Age (mean ± SD; years): acetazolamide = 74.0 ± 6.0, placebo = 74.6 ± 5.9

Females: acetazolamide = 54%, placebo = 52%, overall = 53%

Inclusion criteria: uncontrolled OAG with IOP > 21 mmHg and progressive visual field loss, on maximum tolerated topical therapy, no previous LTP

Exclusion criteria: already receiving acetazolamide

Equivalence of baseline characteristics: yes

Interventions

Intervention 1: acetazolamide (2 × 250 mg tablets), 1 hour prior to LTP

Intervention 2: placebo (2 placebo tablets), 1 hour prior to LTP

Length of follow‐up:

Planned: 2 months

Actual: 2 months

Outcomes

Primary outcomes: IOP in both eyes, degree of anterior segment inflammation

Secondary outcomes: not reported

Adverse events reported: no

Intervals at which outcomes assessed: 30 min; 1, 2, 3, 24 hours; 2 months after laser treatment

Notes

Trial registration: not reported

Funding sources: none reported

Disclosures of interest: none

Study period: not reported

Reported subgroup analyses: no

Risk of bias

Bias

Authors' judgement

Support for judgement

Random sequence generation (selection bias)

Unclear risk

Randomization sequence not described.

Allocation concealment (selection bias)

Unclear risk

Allocation concealment not reported.

Masking of participants and personnel (performance bias)

Low risk

"The medication selected was masked to both the patient and the physician."

Masking of outcome assessment (detection bias)

Unclear risk

No information on efforts to mask the outcome assessors reported.

Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias)
All outcomes

Unclear risk

Unclear whether there were any missing data or how they were handled.

Selective reporting (reporting bias)

Unclear risk

Unclear whether there was selective outcome reporting.

Other bias

Low risk

None

Raspiller 1992

Methods

Study design: parallel‐group RCT

Country: France

Number randomized:

Total: 38

Per group: trabeculoplasty/apraclonidine = 10, capsulotomy/apraclonidine = 8, trabeculoplasty/placebo = 10; capsulotomy/placebo = 10

Exclusions after randomization: none

Number analyzed:

Total: 38

Per group: apraclonidine = 18 (trabeculoplasty = 10, capsulotomy = 8); placebo n = 20 (trabeculoplasty = 10, capsulotomy = 8)

Unit of analysis: eyes

Losses to follow‐up: not reported

How was missing data handled?: not reported

Reported power calculation: no

Unusual study design?: none

Participants

Age: not reported

Females: not reported

Inclusion criteria: not reported

Exclusion criteria: aged < 18 years, infection or eye inflammation, severe eye disease in the past or currently, with the exception of cataract and glaucoma, non‐stabilized cardiovascular disease, an abnormality preventing reliable measure of IOP tonometry, blindness, receiving general clonidine, already participated in the study with their other eye, participated in another clinical trial during the last 30 days

Equivalence of baseline characteristics: not reported

Interventions

Intervention 1: placebo

Intervention 2: apraclonidine 1%

Length of follow‐up:

Planned: 1 week

Actual: 1 week

Outcomes

Primary outcomes: efficacy/efficiency with IOP (i.e. mean change in IOP)

Secondary outcome: incident IOP spikes (≥ 10 mmHg)

Adverse events reported: yes

Intervals at which outcomes assessed: 1, 2, 3 hours; 1 week

Notes

Trial registration: not reported

Funding sources: not reported

Disclosures of interest: not reported

Study period: not reported

Reported subgroup analyses: yes, by surgical procedure, i.e. trabeculoplasty vs capsulotomy

Risk of bias

Bias

Authors' judgement

Support for judgement

Random sequence generation (selection bias)

Unclear risk

Randomization sequence not described.

Allocation concealment (selection bias)

Unclear risk

Allocation concealment not reported.

Masking of participants and personnel (performance bias)

Unclear risk

Authors report the study was "double‐blinded" but did not describe who was masked: participants, surgeons, or outcome assessors.

Masking of outcome assessment (detection bias)

Unclear risk

Authors report the study was "double‐blinded" but did not describe who was masked: participants, surgeons, or outcome assessors.

Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias)
All outcomes

Unclear risk

Unclear how the authors handled missing data; missing a "table 1" study population demographics.

Selective reporting (reporting bias)

Unclear risk

Authors described outcomes and how they graded/collected in the methods section; same outcomes reported in results; reported both statistically significant and non‐significant data; however, there was a protocol deviation (i.e. from iridotomies to capsulotomies) and the authors dropped 2 iridotomy cases.

Other bias

Unclear risk

Funding sources not reported.

Ren 1999

Methods

Study design: parallel‐group RCT

Country: US

Number randomized:

Total: 228

Per group: apraclonidine = 114; pilocarpine = 114

Exclusions after randomization: none reported

Number analyzed:

Total: 228

Per group: apraclonidine = 114; pilocarpine = 114

Unit of analysis (participants vs eyes): participant (1 eye per participant)

Losses to follow‐up: none reported

How was missing data handled?: N/A

Reported power calculation: yes

Unusual study design?: none

Participants

Age (mean ± SD; years): apraclonidine = 68.4 ± 11.4, pilocarpine = 70.3 ± 10.1

Females: apraclonidine = 62%, pilocarpine = 56%

Inclusion criteria: POAG with bilateral elevation (> 21 mmHg before therapy), characteristic glaucomatous optic nerve damage on stereoscopic biomicroscopy, and glaucomatous visual field defects on Humphrey automated field testing

Exclusion criteria: secondary OAG and previous intraocular surgery

Equivalence of baseline characteristics: no, pre‐ALT IOP was higher in the apraclonidine group

Interventions

Intervention 1: 1 drop apraclonidine 1%, 15 min before 180° LTP

Intervention 2: 1 drop pilocarpine 4%, 15 min before 180° LTP

Length of follow‐up:

Planned: 24 hours

Actual: 24 hours

Outcomes

Primary outcome: IOP

Secondary outcome: incidence of IOP spike

Adverse events reported: yes, "There was an apparent lack of serious or longlasting side effects after single instillation of either apraclonidine or pilocarpine."

Intervals at which outcomes assessed: 5 min; 1, 24 hours

Notes

Trial registration: not reported

Funding sources: "Supported in part by an unrestricted grant from Research to Prevent Blindness, Inc"

Disclosures of interest: none reported

Study period: not reported

Reported subgroup analyses: yes, by regular medication type

Risk of bias

Bias

Authors' judgement

Support for judgement

Random sequence generation (selection bias)

Unclear risk

Study was an RCT but no description of how the randomization sequence was generated

Allocation concealment (selection bias)

Unclear risk

Allocation concealment not reported

Masking of participants and personnel (performance bias)

Unclear risk

No information on masking of participants and personnel reported

Masking of outcome assessment (detection bias)

Unclear risk

No information on efforts to mask the outcome assessors reported

Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias)
All outcomes

Unclear risk

Unclear whether there were any missing data or how they were handled

Selective reporting (reporting bias)

Unclear risk

Unclear whether there was selective outcome reporting

Other bias

Low risk

None

Robin 1987

Methods

Study design: parallel‐group RCT

Country: US

Number randomized:

Total: 73

Per group: apraclonidine = 39, placebo = 34

Exclusions after randomization: none reported

Number analyzed:

Total: 73

Per group: apraclonidine = 39, placebo = 34

Unit of analysis (participants vs eyes): participant (1 eye per participant); if a participant required bilateral therapy, the eye treated first was selected

Losses to follow‐up: none reported

How was missing data handled?: not reported

Reported power calculation: no

Unusual study design?: none

Participants

Age (mean ± SD; years): apraclonidine = 60.9 ± 14.3, placebo = 68.8 ± 12.4

Females: apraclonidine = 54%, placebo = 74%

Inclusion criteria: pre‐existing OAG and poor IOP control despite maximum tolerated medical therapy

Exclusion criteria: prior ALT

Equivalence of baseline characteristics: no, "There was no statistically significant difference in any variable except for mean patient age, (P<0.25)"

Interventions

Intervention 1: topical 1% apraclonidine, 1 hour prior and immediately after 360° ALT

Intervention 2: placebo, 1 hour prior and immediately after 360° ALT

Length of follow‐up:

Planned: 1 month

Actual: 1 month

Outcomes

Primary outcomes: visual acuity, IOP, anterior segment inflammation

Secondary outcome: heart rate

Adverse events reported: authors reported that there were no adverse events

Intervals at which outcomes assessed: 1, 2, 3 hours; 1 week; 1 month

Notes

Trial registration: not reported

Funding sources: "This study was funded in part by a grant from Alcon Laboratories."

Disclosures of interest: "Betty House is an employee of Alcon Laboratories, Fort Worth, Tex. None of the authors as any financial, commercial, or proprietary interest in ALO 2145 [apraclonidine]."

Study period: not reported

Reported subgroup analyses: no

Risk of bias

Bias

Authors' judgement

Support for judgement

Random sequence generation (selection bias)

Low risk

"A computer‐generated random‐number table was utilized, and the selected medication was masked to both the physician and the patient."

Allocation concealment (selection bias)

Unclear risk

Allocation concealment not reported.

Masking of participants and personnel (performance bias)

Low risk

"A computer‐generated random‐number table was utilized, and the selected medication was masked to both the physician and the patient."

Masking of outcome assessment (detection bias)

Unclear risk

No information on efforts to mask the outcome assessors reported.

Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias)
All outcomes

Unclear risk

No mention of loss to follow‐up.

Selective reporting (reporting bias)

Unclear risk

Unclear whether there was selective outcome reporting.

Other bias

High risk

Study funded in part by Alcon Laboratories, who manufacture the study drug apraclonidine.

Robin 1991

Methods

Study design: parallel‐group RCT

Country: US

Number randomized:

Total: 260

Per group: apraclonidine = 125, pilocarpine = 37, timolol = 35, dipivefrin = 32, acetazolamide = 31

Exclusions after randomization: none reported

Number analyzed:

Total: 260

Per group: apraclonidine = 125, pilocarpine = 37, timolol = 35, dipivefrin = 32, acetazolamide = 31

Unit of analysis (participants vs eyes): participants (1 eye per participant; if both eyes had elevated IOP and required trabeculoplasty, the study included only the eye treated first)

Losses to follow‐up: none reported

How was missing data handled?: N/A

Reported power calculation: no

Unusual study design?: "To increase our experience with the use of apraclonidine, the randomization allowed about four times more eyes to receive topical 1% apraclonidine than either timolol 0.5%, pilocarpine 4%, dipivefrin 0.1%, or 250 mg acetazolamide."

Participants

Age (mean ± SD; years): apraclonidine = 66.5 ± 12.2, pilocarpine = 67.6 ± 8.9, timolol = 68.4 ± 10.3, dipivefrin = 65.5 ± 14.0, acetazolamide = 63.0 ± 13.1

Females: apraclonidine = 56%, pilocarpine = 62%, timolol = 57%, dipivefrin = 50%, acetazolamide = 65%

Inclusion criteria: people of legal age with various forms of glaucoma, with disk and visual field damage, poor IOP control despite maximum‐tolerated medical therapy

Exclusion criteria: people with asthma, sulfa allergy, unstable cardiovascular disease, allergy to any of the test medications, and eyes that had previously undergo ALT

Equivalence of baseline characteristics: yes, "There were no significant preoperative differences among the five treatment groups in terms of race, age, sex, eye color, or preoperative types of glaucoma."

Interventions

Intervention 1: apraclonidine 1%, 1 hour before and immediately after LTP

Intervention 2: pilocarpine hydrochloride, 4% 1 hour before and immediately after LTP

Intervention 3: timolol maleate 0.5%, 1 hour before and immediately after LTP

Intervention 4: dipivefrin 0.1%, 1 hour before and immediately after LTP

Intervention 5: acetazolamide 250 mg, 1 hour before and immediately after LTP

Length of follow‐up:

Planned: 1 month

Actual: 1 month

Outcomes

Primary outcome: IOP changes

Secondary outcomes: none reported

Adverse events reported: no

Intervals at which outcomes assessed: baseline; 1, 2, 3 hours; 1 week; 1 month

Notes

Trial registration: not reported

Funding sources: none reported

Disclosures of interest: "The author has no proprietary interests in Alcon Laboratories, Inc, or in apraclonidine hydrochloride."

Study period: not reported

Reported subgroup analyses: no

Risk of bias

Bias

Authors' judgement

Support for judgement

Random sequence generation (selection bias)

Low risk

"A computer‐generated random‐number table was used to assign eyes to five treatment groups."

Allocation concealment (selection bias)

Unclear risk

Allocation concealment not reported.

Masking of participants and personnel (performance bias)

Unclear risk

Participants in the acetazolamide group would be aware they were taking a pill rather than receiving topical treatment, though they may not have known what the drug was.

Masking of outcome assessment (detection bias)

Low risk

"The investigator was masked to which medication each subject received."

Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias)
All outcomes

Unclear risk

Unclear whether there were any missing data or how they were handled.

Selective reporting (reporting bias)

Unclear risk

Unclear whether there was selective outcome reporting.

Other bias

Low risk

None

Yalvaç 1996

Methods

Study design: parallel‐group RCT

Country: Turkey

Number randomized:

Total: 48

Per group: apraclonidine/180° ALT = 16, apraclonidine/360° ALT = 16, placebo/180° ALT = 16

Exclusions after randomization: none reported

Number analyzed:

Total: 48

Per group: apraclonidine/180° ALT = 16, apraclonidine/360° ALT = 16, placebo/180° ALT = 16

Unit of analysis (participants vs eyes): participant (1 eye per person)

Losses to follow‐up: none reported

How was missing data handled?: N/A

Reported power calculation: no

Unusual study design?: none

Participants

Age (mean ± SD; years): apraclonidine/180° ALT = 63.3 ± 8.8, apraclonidine/360° ALT = 65.5 ± 7.4, placebo/180° ALT = 62.1 ± 8.3

Females: apraclonidine/180° ALT = 25%, apraclonidine/360° ALT = 38%, placebo/180° ALT = 31%

Inclusion criteria: people with POAG, defined by optic disk cupping and visual field loss and a pretreatment IOP > 21 mmHg on maximally tolerated medical therapy

Exclusion criteria: previous intraocular surgical procedures or laser treatment, secondary OAG (i.e. pigmentary, exfoliative, or uveitic), and aged < 40 years

Equivalence of baseline characteristics: yes, "There were no significant differences among the three groups in terms of average age, gender, preoperative IOP, or number of antiglaucoma medications (P>0.05)."

Interventions

Intervention 1: apraclonidine 1%, 1 hour before and immediately after 180° ALT

Intervention 2: apraclonidine 1%, 1 hour before and immediately after 360° ALT

Intervention 3: placebo, 1 hour before and immediately after 180° ALT

Length of follow‐up:

Planned: 3 hours

Actual: 3 hours

Outcomes

Primary outcomes: IOP change, frequency of IOP elevation

Secondary outcomes: none reported

Adverse events reported: no

Intervals at which outcomes assessed: baseline; 1, 2, 3 hours after treatment

Notes

Trial registration: not reported

Funding sources: none reported

Disclosures of interest: not reported

Study period: not reported

Reported subgroup analyses: no

Risk of bias

Bias

Authors' judgement

Support for judgement

Random sequence generation (selection bias)

Unclear risk

Randomization sequence generation not described.

Allocation concealment (selection bias)

Unclear risk

Allocation concealment not reported.

Masking of participants and personnel (performance bias)

Unclear risk

No information on masking of participants and personnel reported.

Masking of outcome assessment (detection bias)

Low risk

"IOP was measured preoperatively and 1, 2, and 3 hours after treatment by an observer who was blinded to the random assignment of treatment with the drugs."

Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias)
All outcomes

Unclear risk

Study did not address whether outcome data were complete at each time point, but study only lasted 3 hours post‐ALT.

Selective reporting (reporting bias)

Unclear risk

Unclear whether there was selective outcome reporting.

Other bias

Unclear risk

Funding sources not reported.

ALT: argon laser trabeculoplasty; BP: blood pressure; IOP: intraocular pressure; LTP: laser trabeculoplasty; min: minute; N/A: not applicable; Nd:YAG: neodymium‐doped yttrium aluminum garnet; OAG: open‐angle glaucoma; POAG: primary open‐angle glaucoma; RCT: randomized controlled trial; SD: standard deviation; SLT: selective laser trabeculoplasty.

Characteristics of excluded studies [ordered by study ID]

Study

Reason for exclusion

Ascaso 1992

Study medication was not an IOP‐lowering drop.

Bergamini 1997

Non‐comparative study.

Bucci 1987

Study medications were not IOP‐lowering drops.

Champagne 2015

Study medications were not IOP‐lowering drops.

Chen 2001

Included participants who received laser peripheral iridotomy, ALT, and Nd:YAG laser capsulotomy; results not separated by type of surgery.

Chen 2005

Included participants who received laser peripheral iridotomy, ALT, and Nd:YAG laser capsulotomy; results not separated by type of surgery.

De Keyser 2017

Study medication was not an IOP‐lowering drop.

Diestelhorst 1995

Study medication was not an IOP‐lowering drop.

Gelfand 1985

Study medication was not an IOP‐lowering drop.

Herbort 1992

Study medication was not an IOP‐lowering drop.

Herbort 1993

Study medication was not an IOP‐lowering drop.

Hurvitz 1994

Dosage study; no eligible comparison group.

Jinapriya 2014

Study medication was not an IOP‐lowering drop.

Kim 1998

Study medication was not an IOP‐lowering drop.

Krupin 1992

Not an RCT.

Leung 1986

Not an RCT.

León‐Alcántara 1995

Non‐comparative study.

Ottaiano 1989

Included only participants who received laser iridotomy.

Ottaiano 1996

Unable to confirm whether study was randomized.

Pappas 1985

Study medication was not an IOP‐lowering drop.

Patel 1998

Unable to confirm whether study was randomized; included participants who received ALT or Nd:YAG capsulotomy; results not separated by type of surgery.

Realini 2010

Study medication was not an IOP‐lowering drop.

Rosenberg 1995

Dosage study; no eligible comparison group.

Shin 1996

Study medication was not an IOP‐lowering drop.

Stingu 2001

Unable to confirm whether study was randomized; included participants who received ALT, and Nd:YAG laser iridotomy; results not separated by type of surgery.

Swendris 1991a

Unable to confirm whether study was randomized; categorized by handsearchers as a CCT as no randomization was reported.

Swendris 1991b

Unable to confirm whether study was randomized; categorized by handsearchers as a CCT as no randomization was reported.

Threlkeld 1996

Dosage study; no eligible comparison group.

Vickerstaff 2015

1 study arm received only medication without LTP; no eligible comparison group.

Weinreb 1983

Study medication was not an IOP‐lowering drop.

West 1992

Study medications were not IOP‐lowering drops.

ALT: argon laser trabeculoplasty; CCT: controlled clinical trial; IOP: intraocular pressure; LTP: laser trabeculoplasty; Nd:YAG: neodymium‐doped yttrium aluminum garnet; RCT: randomized controlled trial.

Characteristics of studies awaiting assessment [ordered by study ID]

Božić 2011

Methods

Participants

Interventions

Outcomes

Notes

Article in Serbian. Awaiting translation.

Ha 1991

Methods

Participants

Interventions

Outcomes

Notes

Article in Korean. Awaiting translation.

Data and analyses

Open in table viewer
Comparison 1. Medication versus placebo (regardless of timing)

Outcome or subgroup title

No. of studies

No. of participants

Statistical method

Effect size

1 Intraocular pressure (IOP) increase of ≥ 5 mmHg within 2 hours after laser trabeculoplasty (LTP) Show forest plot

2

Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)

Totals not selected

Analysis 1.1

Comparison 1 Medication versus placebo (regardless of timing), Outcome 1 Intraocular pressure (IOP) increase of ≥ 5 mmHg within 2 hours after laser trabeculoplasty (LTP).

Comparison 1 Medication versus placebo (regardless of timing), Outcome 1 Intraocular pressure (IOP) increase of ≥ 5 mmHg within 2 hours after laser trabeculoplasty (LTP).

1.1 Alpha‐2 agonists vs placebo

2

Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)

0.0 [0.0, 0.0]

2 IOP increase of ≥ 10 mmHg within 2 hours after LTP Show forest plot

4

446

Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)

0.05 [0.01, 0.20]

Analysis 1.2

Comparison 1 Medication versus placebo (regardless of timing), Outcome 2 IOP increase of ≥ 10 mmHg within 2 hours after LTP.

Comparison 1 Medication versus placebo (regardless of timing), Outcome 2 IOP increase of ≥ 10 mmHg within 2 hours after LTP.

2.1 Acetazolamide vs placebo

1

100

Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)

0.03 [0.00, 0.52]

2.2 Alpha‐2 agonists vs placebo

3

346

Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)

0.06 [0.01, 0.27]

3 Mean change in IOP from pre‐LTP to measurements taken within 2 hours after LTP Show forest plot

4

Mean Difference (Random, 95% CI)

Subtotals only

Analysis 1.3

Comparison 1 Medication versus placebo (regardless of timing), Outcome 3 Mean change in IOP from pre‐LTP to measurements taken within 2 hours after LTP.

Comparison 1 Medication versus placebo (regardless of timing), Outcome 3 Mean change in IOP from pre‐LTP to measurements taken within 2 hours after LTP.

3.1 Apraclonidine vs placebo (mmHg)

4

151

Mean Difference (Random, 95% CI)

‐7.43 [‐10.60, ‐4.27]

4 IOP increase of ≥ 5 mmHg two to 24 hours after LTP Show forest plot

5

Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)

Subtotals only

Analysis 1.4

Comparison 1 Medication versus placebo (regardless of timing), Outcome 4 IOP increase of ≥ 5 mmHg two to 24 hours after LTP.

Comparison 1 Medication versus placebo (regardless of timing), Outcome 4 IOP increase of ≥ 5 mmHg two to 24 hours after LTP.

4.1 Alpha‐2 agonists vs placebo

5

634

Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)

0.17 [0.09, 0.31]

5 IOP elevation of ≥ 10 mmHg two to 24 hours after LTP Show forest plot

9

817

Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)

0.22 [0.11, 0.42]

Analysis 1.5

Comparison 1 Medication versus placebo (regardless of timing), Outcome 5 IOP elevation of ≥ 10 mmHg two to 24 hours after LTP.

Comparison 1 Medication versus placebo (regardless of timing), Outcome 5 IOP elevation of ≥ 10 mmHg two to 24 hours after LTP.

5.1 Alpha‐2 agonists vs placebo

7

727

Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)

0.19 [0.07, 0.50]

5.2 Dorzolamide vs placebo

1

40

Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)

0.27 [0.01, 5.22]

5.3 Pilocarpine vs no treatment

1

50

Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)

0.23 [0.07, 0.71]

6 Mean change in IOP from pre‐LTP to measurements two to 24 hours after LTP Show forest plot

4

Mean Difference (Random, 95% CI)

Subtotals only

Analysis 1.6

Comparison 1 Medication versus placebo (regardless of timing), Outcome 6 Mean change in IOP from pre‐LTP to measurements two to 24 hours after LTP.

Comparison 1 Medication versus placebo (regardless of timing), Outcome 6 Mean change in IOP from pre‐LTP to measurements two to 24 hours after LTP.

6.1 Apraclonidine vs placebo (mmHg)

4

151

Mean Difference (Random, 95% CI)

‐5.32 [‐7.37, ‐3.28]

Open in table viewer
Comparison 2. Medication versus medication: brimonidine versus apraclonidine (regardless of timing)

Outcome or subgroup title

No. of studies

No. of participants

Statistical method

Effect size

1 Intraocular pressure (IOP) increase of ≥ 5 mmHg within 2 hours after laser trabeculoplasty (LTP) Show forest plot

2

71

Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)

2.28 [0.32, 16.03]

Analysis 2.1

Comparison 2 Medication versus medication: brimonidine versus apraclonidine (regardless of timing), Outcome 1 Intraocular pressure (IOP) increase of ≥ 5 mmHg within 2 hours after laser trabeculoplasty (LTP).

Comparison 2 Medication versus medication: brimonidine versus apraclonidine (regardless of timing), Outcome 1 Intraocular pressure (IOP) increase of ≥ 5 mmHg within 2 hours after laser trabeculoplasty (LTP).

2 Mean change in IOP from pre‐LTP to measurements taken within 2 hours after LTP (mmHg) Show forest plot

2

71

Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)

‐0.69 [‐2.56, 1.17]

Analysis 2.2

Comparison 2 Medication versus medication: brimonidine versus apraclonidine (regardless of timing), Outcome 2 Mean change in IOP from pre‐LTP to measurements taken within 2 hours after LTP (mmHg).

Comparison 2 Medication versus medication: brimonidine versus apraclonidine (regardless of timing), Outcome 2 Mean change in IOP from pre‐LTP to measurements taken within 2 hours after LTP (mmHg).

Open in table viewer
Comparison 3. Medication versus medication: apraclonidine versus pilocarpine (regardless of timing)

Outcome or subgroup title

No. of studies

No. of participants

Statistical method

Effect size

1 Mean change in intraocular pressure (IOP) from pre‐laser trabeculoplasty (LTP) to measurements taken within 2 hours after LTP (mmHg) Show forest plot

2

277

Mean Difference (Random, 95% CI)

0.61 [‐0.44, 1.66]

Analysis 3.1

Comparison 3 Medication versus medication: apraclonidine versus pilocarpine (regardless of timing), Outcome 1 Mean change in intraocular pressure (IOP) from pre‐laser trabeculoplasty (LTP) to measurements taken within 2 hours after LTP (mmHg).

Comparison 3 Medication versus medication: apraclonidine versus pilocarpine (regardless of timing), Outcome 1 Mean change in intraocular pressure (IOP) from pre‐laser trabeculoplasty (LTP) to measurements taken within 2 hours after LTP (mmHg).

2 IOP increase of ≥ 5 mmHg two to 24 hours after LTP Show forest plot

2

Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)

Subtotals only

Analysis 3.2

Comparison 3 Medication versus medication: apraclonidine versus pilocarpine (regardless of timing), Outcome 2 IOP increase of ≥ 5 mmHg two to 24 hours after LTP.

Comparison 3 Medication versus medication: apraclonidine versus pilocarpine (regardless of timing), Outcome 2 IOP increase of ≥ 5 mmHg two to 24 hours after LTP.

3 IOP increase of ≥ 10 mmHg two to 24 hours after LTP Show forest plot

2

390

Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)

0.87 [0.14, 5.63]

Analysis 3.3

Comparison 3 Medication versus medication: apraclonidine versus pilocarpine (regardless of timing), Outcome 3 IOP increase of ≥ 10 mmHg two to 24 hours after LTP.

Comparison 3 Medication versus medication: apraclonidine versus pilocarpine (regardless of timing), Outcome 3 IOP increase of ≥ 10 mmHg two to 24 hours after LTP.

4 Mean change in IOP from pre‐LTP to measurements taken two to 24 hours after LTP (mmHg) Show forest plot

2

Mean Difference (Fixed, 95% CI)

Subtotals only

Analysis 3.4

Comparison 3 Medication versus medication: apraclonidine versus pilocarpine (regardless of timing), Outcome 4 Mean change in IOP from pre‐LTP to measurements taken two to 24 hours after LTP (mmHg).

Comparison 3 Medication versus medication: apraclonidine versus pilocarpine (regardless of timing), Outcome 4 Mean change in IOP from pre‐LTP to measurements taken two to 24 hours after LTP (mmHg).

Open in table viewer
Comparison 4. Timing comparison: medication before versus medication after

Outcome or subgroup title

No. of studies

No. of participants

Statistical method

Effect size

1 Intraocular pressure (IOP) increase of ≥ 5 mmHg two to 24 hours after laser trabeculoplasty (LTP) Show forest plot

4

Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)

Subtotals only

Analysis 4.1

Comparison 4 Timing comparison: medication before versus medication after, Outcome 1 Intraocular pressure (IOP) increase of ≥ 5 mmHg two to 24 hours after laser trabeculoplasty (LTP).

Comparison 4 Timing comparison: medication before versus medication after, Outcome 1 Intraocular pressure (IOP) increase of ≥ 5 mmHg two to 24 hours after laser trabeculoplasty (LTP).

1.1 Alpha‐2 agonists

4

319

Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)

0.82 [0.25, 2.63]

2 IOP increase of ≥ 10 mmHg two to 24 hours after LTP Show forest plot

4

Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)

Subtotals only

Analysis 4.2

Comparison 4 Timing comparison: medication before versus medication after, Outcome 2 IOP increase of ≥ 10 mmHg two to 24 hours after LTP.

Comparison 4 Timing comparison: medication before versus medication after, Outcome 2 IOP increase of ≥ 10 mmHg two to 24 hours after LTP.

2.1 Alpha‐2 agonists

4

319

Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)

1.55 [0.19, 12.43]

3 Mean change in IOP from pre‐LTP to measurements taken more than 2 hours but within 24 hours after LTP (mmHg) Show forest plot

3

Mean Difference (Random, 95% CI)

Subtotals only

Analysis 4.3

Comparison 4 Timing comparison: medication before versus medication after, Outcome 3 Mean change in IOP from pre‐LTP to measurements taken more than 2 hours but within 24 hours after LTP (mmHg).

Comparison 4 Timing comparison: medication before versus medication after, Outcome 3 Mean change in IOP from pre‐LTP to measurements taken more than 2 hours but within 24 hours after LTP (mmHg).

3.1 Alpha‐2 agonists (mmHg)

3

198

Mean Difference (Random, 95% CI)

‐1.07 [‐2.51, 0.37]

Open in table viewer
Comparison 5. Adverse events

Outcome or subgroup title

No. of studies

No. of participants

Statistical method

Effect size

1 Conjunctival blanching (brimonidine vs placebo) Show forest plot

2

Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)

Subtotals only

Analysis 5.1

Comparison 5 Adverse events, Outcome 1 Conjunctival blanching (brimonidine vs placebo).

Comparison 5 Adverse events, Outcome 1 Conjunctival blanching (brimonidine vs placebo).

Study flow diagram.
Figuras y tablas -
Figure 1

Study flow diagram.

Risk of bias graph: review authors' judgments about each risk of bias item presented as percentages across all included studies.
Figuras y tablas -
Figure 2

Risk of bias graph: review authors' judgments about each risk of bias item presented as percentages across all included studies.

Risk of bias summary: review authors' judgments about each risk of bias item for each included study.
Figuras y tablas -
Figure 3

Risk of bias summary: review authors' judgments about each risk of bias item for each included study.

Forest plot of comparison: 1 Medication versus placebo (regardless of timing), outcome: 1.4 Intraocular pressure (IOP) increase ≥ 5 mmHg two to 24 hours after laser trabeculoplasty (LTP).
Figuras y tablas -
Figure 4

Forest plot of comparison: 1 Medication versus placebo (regardless of timing), outcome: 1.4 Intraocular pressure (IOP) increase ≥ 5 mmHg two to 24 hours after laser trabeculoplasty (LTP).

Forest plot of comparison: 3 Medication versus medication: apraclonidine versus pilocarpine (regardless of timing), outcome: 3.2 Intraocular pressure (IOP) increase of ≥ 5 mmHg two to 24 after laser trabeculoplasty (LTP).
Figuras y tablas -
Figure 5

Forest plot of comparison: 3 Medication versus medication: apraclonidine versus pilocarpine (regardless of timing), outcome: 3.2 Intraocular pressure (IOP) increase of ≥ 5 mmHg two to 24 after laser trabeculoplasty (LTP).

Forest plot of comparison: 4 Timing comparison: medication before versus medication after, outcome: 4.1 Intraocular pressure (IOP) increase of ≥ 5 mmHg two to 24 hours after laser trabeculoplasty (LTP).
Figuras y tablas -
Figure 6

Forest plot of comparison: 4 Timing comparison: medication before versus medication after, outcome: 4.1 Intraocular pressure (IOP) increase of ≥ 5 mmHg two to 24 hours after laser trabeculoplasty (LTP).

Comparison 1 Medication versus placebo (regardless of timing), Outcome 1 Intraocular pressure (IOP) increase of ≥ 5 mmHg within 2 hours after laser trabeculoplasty (LTP).
Figuras y tablas -
Analysis 1.1

Comparison 1 Medication versus placebo (regardless of timing), Outcome 1 Intraocular pressure (IOP) increase of ≥ 5 mmHg within 2 hours after laser trabeculoplasty (LTP).

Comparison 1 Medication versus placebo (regardless of timing), Outcome 2 IOP increase of ≥ 10 mmHg within 2 hours after LTP.
Figuras y tablas -
Analysis 1.2

Comparison 1 Medication versus placebo (regardless of timing), Outcome 2 IOP increase of ≥ 10 mmHg within 2 hours after LTP.

Comparison 1 Medication versus placebo (regardless of timing), Outcome 3 Mean change in IOP from pre‐LTP to measurements taken within 2 hours after LTP.
Figuras y tablas -
Analysis 1.3

Comparison 1 Medication versus placebo (regardless of timing), Outcome 3 Mean change in IOP from pre‐LTP to measurements taken within 2 hours after LTP.

Comparison 1 Medication versus placebo (regardless of timing), Outcome 4 IOP increase of ≥ 5 mmHg two to 24 hours after LTP.
Figuras y tablas -
Analysis 1.4

Comparison 1 Medication versus placebo (regardless of timing), Outcome 4 IOP increase of ≥ 5 mmHg two to 24 hours after LTP.

Comparison 1 Medication versus placebo (regardless of timing), Outcome 5 IOP elevation of ≥ 10 mmHg two to 24 hours after LTP.
Figuras y tablas -
Analysis 1.5

Comparison 1 Medication versus placebo (regardless of timing), Outcome 5 IOP elevation of ≥ 10 mmHg two to 24 hours after LTP.

Comparison 1 Medication versus placebo (regardless of timing), Outcome 6 Mean change in IOP from pre‐LTP to measurements two to 24 hours after LTP.
Figuras y tablas -
Analysis 1.6

Comparison 1 Medication versus placebo (regardless of timing), Outcome 6 Mean change in IOP from pre‐LTP to measurements two to 24 hours after LTP.

Comparison 2 Medication versus medication: brimonidine versus apraclonidine (regardless of timing), Outcome 1 Intraocular pressure (IOP) increase of ≥ 5 mmHg within 2 hours after laser trabeculoplasty (LTP).
Figuras y tablas -
Analysis 2.1

Comparison 2 Medication versus medication: brimonidine versus apraclonidine (regardless of timing), Outcome 1 Intraocular pressure (IOP) increase of ≥ 5 mmHg within 2 hours after laser trabeculoplasty (LTP).

Comparison 2 Medication versus medication: brimonidine versus apraclonidine (regardless of timing), Outcome 2 Mean change in IOP from pre‐LTP to measurements taken within 2 hours after LTP (mmHg).
Figuras y tablas -
Analysis 2.2

Comparison 2 Medication versus medication: brimonidine versus apraclonidine (regardless of timing), Outcome 2 Mean change in IOP from pre‐LTP to measurements taken within 2 hours after LTP (mmHg).

Comparison 3 Medication versus medication: apraclonidine versus pilocarpine (regardless of timing), Outcome 1 Mean change in intraocular pressure (IOP) from pre‐laser trabeculoplasty (LTP) to measurements taken within 2 hours after LTP (mmHg).
Figuras y tablas -
Analysis 3.1

Comparison 3 Medication versus medication: apraclonidine versus pilocarpine (regardless of timing), Outcome 1 Mean change in intraocular pressure (IOP) from pre‐laser trabeculoplasty (LTP) to measurements taken within 2 hours after LTP (mmHg).

Comparison 3 Medication versus medication: apraclonidine versus pilocarpine (regardless of timing), Outcome 2 IOP increase of ≥ 5 mmHg two to 24 hours after LTP.
Figuras y tablas -
Analysis 3.2

Comparison 3 Medication versus medication: apraclonidine versus pilocarpine (regardless of timing), Outcome 2 IOP increase of ≥ 5 mmHg two to 24 hours after LTP.

Comparison 3 Medication versus medication: apraclonidine versus pilocarpine (regardless of timing), Outcome 3 IOP increase of ≥ 10 mmHg two to 24 hours after LTP.
Figuras y tablas -
Analysis 3.3

Comparison 3 Medication versus medication: apraclonidine versus pilocarpine (regardless of timing), Outcome 3 IOP increase of ≥ 10 mmHg two to 24 hours after LTP.

Comparison 3 Medication versus medication: apraclonidine versus pilocarpine (regardless of timing), Outcome 4 Mean change in IOP from pre‐LTP to measurements taken two to 24 hours after LTP (mmHg).
Figuras y tablas -
Analysis 3.4

Comparison 3 Medication versus medication: apraclonidine versus pilocarpine (regardless of timing), Outcome 4 Mean change in IOP from pre‐LTP to measurements taken two to 24 hours after LTP (mmHg).

Comparison 4 Timing comparison: medication before versus medication after, Outcome 1 Intraocular pressure (IOP) increase of ≥ 5 mmHg two to 24 hours after laser trabeculoplasty (LTP).
Figuras y tablas -
Analysis 4.1

Comparison 4 Timing comparison: medication before versus medication after, Outcome 1 Intraocular pressure (IOP) increase of ≥ 5 mmHg two to 24 hours after laser trabeculoplasty (LTP).

Comparison 4 Timing comparison: medication before versus medication after, Outcome 2 IOP increase of ≥ 10 mmHg two to 24 hours after LTP.
Figuras y tablas -
Analysis 4.2

Comparison 4 Timing comparison: medication before versus medication after, Outcome 2 IOP increase of ≥ 10 mmHg two to 24 hours after LTP.

Comparison 4 Timing comparison: medication before versus medication after, Outcome 3 Mean change in IOP from pre‐LTP to measurements taken more than 2 hours but within 24 hours after LTP (mmHg).
Figuras y tablas -
Analysis 4.3

Comparison 4 Timing comparison: medication before versus medication after, Outcome 3 Mean change in IOP from pre‐LTP to measurements taken more than 2 hours but within 24 hours after LTP (mmHg).

Comparison 5 Adverse events, Outcome 1 Conjunctival blanching (brimonidine vs placebo).
Figuras y tablas -
Analysis 5.1

Comparison 5 Adverse events, Outcome 1 Conjunctival blanching (brimonidine vs placebo).

Summary of findings for the main comparison. Medication compared with placebo for preventing temporarily increased IOP after laser trabeculoplasty

Medication compared with placebo for preventing temporarily increased IOP after LTP

Participant or population: people with glaucoma receiving LTP

Intervention: IOP‐lowering medication (apraclonidine, acetazolamide, brimonidine, pilocarpine)

Comparison: placebo

Outcomes

Illustrative comparative risks* (95% CI)

Relative effect
(95% CI)

No of participants
(studies)

Certainty of the evidence
(GRADE)

Comments

Assumed risk

Corresponding risk

Placebo

Medication

IOP increase of ≥ 5 mmHg

within 2 hours

See comment

273
(2 RCTs)

⊕⊕⊝⊝1,2
Low

Medications in this comparison were apraclonidine and brimonidine. 2 studies reported on this outcome and 1 favored the alpha‐2 agonists while the other favored placebo. Due to significant statistical heterogeneity (I2 = 70%), we did not perform a meta‐analysis.

IOP increase of ≥ 10 mmHg

within 2 hours

195 per 1000

10 per 1000
(2 to 39)

RR 0.05 (0.01 to 0.20)

446
(4 RCTs)

⊕⊕⊕⊝1
Moderate

Medications in this comparison were acetazolamide, apraclonidine, and brimonidine.

Mean change in IOP from pre‐LTP

within 2 hours

The mean change in IOP ranged across control groups from0.4 mmHg to 4.40 mmHg, for 3 included studies

The mean change in IOP in the intervention groups was 7.43 mmHg lower
(10.60 lower to 4.27 lower)

151
(4 studies)

⊕⊕⊕⊝1
Moderate

Each of the studies included in this outcome compared apraclonidine vs placebo.

IOP increase of ≥ 5 mmHg

between 2 and 24 hours

280 per 1000

48 per 1000
(25 to 87)

RR 0.17 (0.09 to 0.31)

634
(5 studies)

⊕⊕⊝⊝3

Low

Medications in this comparison were apraclonidine and brimonidine.

IOP increase of ≥ 10 mmHg

between 2 and 24 hours

202 per 1000

44 per 1000
(22 to 85)

RR 0.22 (0.11 to 0.42)

817
(9 studies)

⊕⊝⊝⊝3,4
Very low

Medications in this comparison were apraclonidine, brimonidine, dorozolamide, and pilocarpine.

Mean change in IOP from pre‐LTP

between 2 and 24 hours

The mean change in IOP ranged across control groups from‐2.0 mmHg to 0.63 mmHg, for 3 included studies

The mean change in IOP in the intervention groups was 5.32 mmHg lower
(7.37 lower to 3.28 lower)

151
(4 studies)

⊕⊕⊕⊝1
Moderate

Each of the studies included in this outcome compared apraclonidine vs placebo.

Adverse events ‐ conjunctival blanching

during study period

See comment

319

(2 studies)

⊕⊕⊕⊝1
Moderate

2 studies reported on conjunctival blanching; however, due to significant statistical heterogeneity (I2 = 95%), we did not perform a meta‐analysis. In both studies, conjunctival blanching was reported in more participants in the group that received an alpha‐2 agonist compared with participants who received placebo. 1 other study that reported only the range of participants who had conjunctival blanching also reported that this adverse event was more frequent in the groups receiving brimonidine vs placebo. Other adverse events reported for the comparison of medication vs placebo were lid retraction and conjunctival hyperemia, reported in 1 study each.

*The basis for the assumed risk is the control group risk across studies. The corresponding risk (and its 95% confidence interval) is based on the assumed risk in the comparison group and the relative effect of the intervention (and its 95% CI).
CI: confidence interval; IOP: intraocular pressure; LTP: laser trabeculoplasty; RCT: randomized controlled trial; RR: risk ratio.

GRADE Working Group grades of evidence
High‐certainty: Further research is very unlikely to change our confidence in the estimate of effect.
Moderate‐certainty: Further research is likely to have an important impact on our confidence in the estimate of effect and may change the estimate.
Low‐certainty: Further research is very likely to have an important impact on our confidence in the estimate of effect and is likely to change the estimate.
Very low‐certainty: We are very uncertain about the estimate.

1 The certainty of the evidence was downgraded due to concerns of risk of bias: masking of outcomes assessors was difficult and in one study, the authors of some studies worked with the company making the study drug.

2 The certainty of the evidence was downgraded due to inconsistency of the outcome measurements in the individual studies: one favored medication and one favored placebo.

3 The certainty of the evidence was downgraded two levels due to concerns of very serious plausible bias: some studies in these analyses had issues with masking of outcomes assessors, high risk of selective reporting, and authors associated with the manufacturer of the study drug.

4 The certainty of the evidence was downgraded due to imprecision: there is a small number of events in the medication groups.

Figuras y tablas -
Summary of findings for the main comparison. Medication compared with placebo for preventing temporarily increased IOP after laser trabeculoplasty
Summary of findings 2. Brimonidine compared with apraclonidine for preventing temporarily increased IOP after laser trabeculoplasty

Brimonidine compared with apraclonidine for preventing temporarily increased IOP after LTP

Participant or population: people with glaucoma receiving LTP

Intervention: brimonidine

Comparison: apraclonidine

Outcomes

Illustrative comparative risks* (95% CI)

Relative effect
(95% CI)

No of participants
(studies)

Certainty of the evidence
(GRADE)

Comments

Assumed risk

Corresponding risk

Apraclonidine

Brimonidine

IOP increase of ≥ 5 mmHg

within 2 hours

29 per 1000

67 per 1000
(9 to 471)

RR 2.28 (0.32 to 16.03)

71
(2 RCTs)

⊕⊝⊝⊝1,2,3
Very low

1 other study reported this outcome but found that no participants in either study group had an IOP increase of ≥ 5 mmHg. This study was not included in the meta‐analysis.

IOP increase of ≥ 10 mmHg

within 2 hours

See comment

1 study reported that no participants given either medication had an IOP increase of ≥ 10 mmHg. Another study reported that only 1 eye that had received apraclonidine had an IOP spike > 10 mmHg, but this was not statistically significant given the size of the study (RR 0.33, 95% CI 0.02 to 7.32).

Mean change in IOP from pre‐LTP

within 2 hours

The mean change in IOP ranged across control groups from‐4.29 to ‐5.00 mmHg

The mean change in IOP in the intervention groups was 0.69 mmHg lower (2.56 lower to 1.17 higher)

71
(2 RCTs)

⊕⊕⊕⊝3
Moderate

IOP increase of ≥ 5 mmHg

between 2 and 24 hours

This outcome was not reported for this comparison.

IOP increase of ≥ 10 mmHg

between 2 and 24 hours

This outcome was not reported for this comparison.

Mean change in IOP from pre‐LTP

between 2 and 24 hours

See comment

1 study reported that participants randomized to receive brimonidine had a mean (± SD) IOP reduction of 2.6 ± 3.6 mmHg, while participants randomized to receive apraclonidine had a mean IOP reduction of 2.3 ± 3.7 mmHg (MD ‐0.30 mmHg, 95% CI ‐2.41 to 1.81).

Adverse events ‐

during study period

This outcome was not reported for this comparison.

*The basis for the assumed risk is the control group risk across studies. The corresponding risk (and its 95% confidence interval) is based on the assumed risk in the comparison group and the relative effect of the intervention (and its 95% CI).
CI: confidence interval; IOP: intraocular pressure; LTP: laser trabeculoplasty; MD: mean difference; RCT: randomized controlled trial; RR: risk ratio; SD: standard deviation.

GRADE Working Group grades of evidence
High‐certainty: Further research is very unlikely to change our confidence in the estimate of effect.
Moderate‐certainty: Further research is likely to have an important impact on our confidence in the estimate of effect and may change the estimate.
Low‐certainty: Further research is very likely to have an important impact on our confidence in the estimate of effect and is likely to change the estimate.
Very low‐certainty: We are very uncertain about the estimate.

1 The certainty of the evidence was downgraded two levels due to imprecision: our effect measurement had a very wide confidence interval.

2 The certainty of the evidence was downgraded due to inconsistency: the RRs of the individual trials were very different.

3 The certainty of the evidence was downgraded due to concerns of risk of bias: masking of participants and personnel was unclear, and in one study, both eyes of the participants were included in the study and received different medications but the authors did not report if and how they took into account the interdependability of eyes.

Figuras y tablas -
Summary of findings 2. Brimonidine compared with apraclonidine for preventing temporarily increased IOP after laser trabeculoplasty
Summary of findings 3. Apraclonidine compared with pilocarpine for temporarily increased IOP after laser trabeculoplasty

Apraclonidine compared with pilocarpine for temporarily increased IOP after LTP

Participant or population: people with glaucoma receiving LTP

Intervention: apraclonidine

Comparison: pilocarpine

Outcomes

Illustrative comparative risks* (95% CI)

Relative effect
(95% CI)

No of participants
(studies)

Certainty of the evidence
(GRADE)

Comments

Assumed risk

Corresponding risk

Pilocarpine

Apraclonidine

IOP increase of ≥ 5 mmHg

within 2 hours

See comment

1 study reported that 8.8% of the apraclonidine group had an increase of ≥ 5 mmHg vs 4.4% of the pilocarpine group. These were not statistically different (RR 2.00, 95% CI 0.71 to 5.67).

IOP increase of ≥ 10 mmHg

within 2 hours

This outcome was not reported for this comparison.

Mean change in IOP from pre‐LTP

within 2 hours

The mean change in IOP was only reported in 1 study: ‐3.6 mmHg. The second study reported only the mean IOP at a time point rather than the mean change

The mean change in IOP in the intervention groups was 0.61 mmHg higher (0.44 lower to 1.66 higher)

277
(2 RCTs)

⊕⊕⊕⊝1
Moderate

IOP increase of ≥ 5 mmHg

between 2 and 24 hours

See comment.

⊕⊕⊝⊝1, 2
Low

2 studies reported on this outcome and 1 favored apraclonidine while the other favored pilocarpine. Due to significant statistical heterogeneity (I2 = 91%), we did not perform a meta‐analysis.

IOP increase of ≥ 10 mmHg

between 2 and 24 hours

13 per 1000

12 per 1000
(2 to 75)

RR 0.87 (0.14 to 5.63)

390
(2 RCTs)

⊕⊕⊝⊝2,3
Low

1 additional study reported on this outcome but found that no participants in either study group had an IOP increase of ≥ 10 mmHg. This study was not included in the meta‐analysis.

Mean change in IOP from pre‐LTP

between 2 and 24 hours

See comment.

277
(2 RCTs)

⊕⊕⊝⊝1, 2
Low

2 studies reported on this outcome and 1 favored apraclonidine while the other favored pilocarpine. Due to significant statistical heterogeneity (I2 = 92%), we did not perform a meta‐analysis.

Adverse events ‐

during study period

This outcome was not reported for this comparison.

*The basis for the assumed risk is the control group risk across studies. The corresponding risk (and its 95% confidence interval) is based on the assumed risk in the comparison group and the relative effect of the intervention (and its 95% CI).
CI: confidence interval; IOP: intraocular pressure; LTP: laser trabeculoplasty; RCT: randomized controlled trial; RR: risk ratio.

GRADE Working Group grades of evidence
High‐certainty: Further research is very unlikely to change our confidence in the estimate of effect.
Moderate‐certainty: Further research is likely to have an important impact on our confidence in the estimate of effect and may change the estimate.
Low‐certainty: Further research is very likely to have an important impact on our confidence in the estimate of effect and is likely to change the estimate.
Very low‐certainty: We are very uncertain about the estimate.

1 The certainty of the evidence was downgraded due to concerns of plausible bias: one study included in the analyses had issues with masking of their participants due to the nature of the study design, and additionally the authors were employees of the company that manufactured the study drug.

2 The certainty of the evidence was downgraded due to inconsistency: in each outcome analysis, one study favored pilocarpine while the other favored apraclonidine.

3 The certainty of the evidence was downgraded due to imprecision: our effect measurement had a very wide confidence interval.

Figuras y tablas -
Summary of findings 3. Apraclonidine compared with pilocarpine for temporarily increased IOP after laser trabeculoplasty
Summary of findings 4. Medication given before LTP compared with the same medication given after LTP for temporarily increased IOP after LTP

Medication given before LTP compared with the same medication given after LTP for temporarily increased IOP after LTP

Participant or population: people with glaucoma receiving LTP

Intervention: medication before LTP

Comparison: medication after LTP

Outcomes

Illustrative comparative risks* (95% CI)

Relative effect
(95% CI)

No of participants
(studies)

Certainty of the evidence
(GRADE)

Comments

Assumed risk

Corresponding risk

Medication after LTP

Medication before LTP

IOP increase of ≥ 5 mmHg

within 2 hours

See comment

1 study comparing apraclonidine given before and after surgery reported no participants had an increase of ≥ 5 mmHg. Another study reported that 5.3% of participants given brimonidine before surgery had an IOP increase of ≥ 5 mmHg, compared with 7.5% of participants given brimonidine after surgery (RR 0.70, 95% CI 0.16 to 2.97).

IOP increase of ≥ 10 mmHg

within 2 hours

See comment

1 study comparing apraclonidine given before and after surgery reported no participants had an increase of ≥ 10 mmHg. Another study reported that only 1 study participant had this high of an increase, and they had been randomized to brimonidine before surgery.

Mean change in IOP from pre‐LTP

within 2 hours

See comment

Mean change in IOP from pre‐LTP to measurements taken within 2 hours after LTP was not reported in any study, but 1 study did report the mean IOP for the 2 study arms within 2 hours and it was not statistically different between the 2 groups.

IOP increase of ≥ 5 mmHg

between 2 and 24 hours

38 per 1000

31 per 1000
(9 to 100)

RR 0.82 (0.25 to 2.63)

319
(4 RCTs)

⊕⊕⊕⊝1
Moderate

IOP increase of ≥ 10 mmHg

between 2 and 24 hours

6 per 1000

10 per 1000
(1 to 79)

RR 1.55 (0.19 to 12.43)

319
(4 RCTs)

⊕⊝⊝⊝1,2
Very low

Mean change in IOP from pre‐LTP

between 2 and 24 hours

The mean change in IOP was only reported in 1 study: ‐3.4 mmHg. The other 2 studies reported only the mean IOP at a time point rather than the mean change: range was13.0 mmHg to 18.6 mmHg

The mean change in IOP in the intervention groups was 1.07 mmHg lower (2.51 lower to 0.37 higher)

198
(3 RCTs)

⊕⊕⊕⊝3
Moderate

Adverse events ‐

during study period

This outcome was not reported for this comparison.

*The basis for the assumed risk is the control group risk across studies. The corresponding risk (and its 95% confidence interval) is based on the assumed risk in the comparison group and the relative effect of the intervention (and its 95% CI).
CI: confidence interval; IOP: intraocular pressure; LTP: laser trabeculoplasty; RCT: randomized controlled trial; RR: risk ratio.

GRADE Working Group grades of evidence
High‐certainty: Further research is very unlikely to change our confidence in the estimate of effect.
Moderate‐certainty: Further research is likely to have an important impact on our confidence in the estimate of effect and may change the estimate.
Low‐certainty: Further research is very likely to have an important impact on our confidence in the estimate of effect and is likely to change the estimate.
Very low‐certainty: We are very uncertain about the estimate.

1 The certainty of the evidence was downgraded due to concerns of plausible bias: masking of outcomes assessors was difficult and the authors of two studies work with the company making the study drug; one study had a high risk of selective reporting bias.

2 The certainty of the evidence was downgraded two levels due to imprecision: the included studies for which data were available had very wide confidence intervals.

3 The certainty of the evidence was downgraded due to inconsistency: of the three included studies, two favored medication given before surgery, and the other favored medication given after surgery.

Figuras y tablas -
Summary of findings 4. Medication given before LTP compared with the same medication given after LTP for temporarily increased IOP after LTP
Table 1. Study Comparison

Study ID

Types of participants

Number of treatment groups

Type of trabeculoplasty

Degree of laser

Comparison (baseline IOP in mmHg)

Barnebey 1993

Uncontrolled glaucoma

4

ALT

360

Brimonidine before and after

vs

brimonidine before and vehicle after

vs

vehicle before and brimonidine after

vs

vehicle before and after

(individual baseline IOPs not reported; range 23.4 ± 0.6 to 24.3 ± 0.7)

Barnes 1999

POAG, pigmentary glaucoma, pseudoexfoliation syndrome, or ocular hypertension

2

ALT

360

Brimonidine (19.6 ± 4.5)

vs

apraclonidine (20.5 ± 4.6)

Birt 1995

POAG

3

ALT

180

Apraclonidine before and after (22.2 ± 3.6)

vs

apraclonidine before (23.9 ± 5.3)

vs

apraclonidine after (22.1 ± 3.2)

Brown 1988

Inadequately controlled IOP despite maximum‐tolerated medical therapy

2

ALT

360

Apraclonidine before and after

vs

placebo before and after

(IOPs not available)

Carassa 1992

Advanced glaucoma on maximal tolerated medical therapy with inadequate IOP control

2

ALT

360

Apraclonidine before and after (19.20 ± 5.95)

vs

placebo before and after (19.80 ± 5.23)

Chevrier 1999

Candidates for ALT, peripheral iridectomy, or posterior capsulotomy

2

ALT

180

Brimonidine before (20.3 ± 6)

vs

apraclonidine before (20.0 ± 5.1)

*the reported IOPs included participants who received other types of glaucoma surgery besides ALT

Dapling 1994

OAG

3 (1 combination group not of interest in this study)

ALT

180

Apraclonidine before and after

vs

pilocarpine after

("all eyes had...an IOP greater than 21mmHg")

David 1993

Participants undergoing ALT

4

ALT

360

Brimonidine before and after (23.3)

vs

brimonidine before, placebo after (23.9)

vs

placebo before, brimonidine after (24.1)

vs

placebo before and after (24.0)

Donnelly 2006

POAG

2 (opposite eyes)

SLT

360

Brimonidine before

vs

apraclonidine after

(right eyes: 18, left eyes: 18.4)

Elsas 1991

Exfoliative glaucoma and simple glaucoma

2

ALT

360

Pilocarpine before (34.9 ± 8.1)

vs

no treatment (33.3 ± 5.6)

Hartenbaum 1999

OAG requiring ALT

2

ALT

180

Dorzolamide before and after (18.3 ± 0.57)

vs

placebo before and after (19.6 ± 0.72)

Holmwood 1992

OAG

2

ALT

360

Apraclonidine before and after (22.6 ± 0.9)

vs

apraclonidine after (22.6 ± 0.6)

Karlik 1997

Glaucoma

2

ALT

180

Latanoprost before (24.1)

vs

apraclonidine before (23.2)

Karlik 1998

Glaucoma

2

ALT

180

Latanoprost before

vs

apraclonidine before

Kitazawa 1990

POAG

2

ALT

180

Apraclonidine before and after (24.2 ± 9.0)

vs

placebo before and after (23.2 ± 6.8)

Ma 1999

Glaucoma

4

ALT

180

Brimonidine before and after (24.9)

vs

brimonidine before, placebo after (24.8)

vs

placebo before, brimonidine after (24.1)

vs

placebo before and after (24.6)

Metcalfe 1989

Uncontrolled OAG

2

ALT

180

Acetazolamide before (23.6 ± 6.1)

vs

placebo before (23.7 ± 6.5)

Raspiller 1992

POAG

2

ALT

360

ALO 2145 (apraclonidine) before and after (20.1 ± 4.07)

vs

placebo before and after (25.0 ± 5.47)

Ren 1999

POAG

2

ALT

180

Apraclonidine before (23.2 ± 4.5)

vs

pilocarpine before (21.7 ± 3.5)

Robin 1987

OAG

2

ALT

360

ALO 2145 (apraclonidine) before and after (26.4 ± 3.0)

vs

placebo before and after (27.9 ± 6.9)

Robin 1991

OAG with disc and visual field damage

5

ALT

360

Apraclonidine before and after (27.2 ± 5.1)

vs

timolol before and after (27.6 ± 4.1)

vs

pilocarpine before and after (27.1 ± 5.1)

vs

dipivefrin before and after (25.9 ± 3.0)

vs

acetazolamide before and after (25.7 ± 3.9)

Yalvaç 1996

POAG

3

ALT

360 and 180

Apraclonidine before and after, 180° ALT (26.1 ± 5.1)

vs

placebo before and after, 180° ALT (25.6 ± 3.4)

vs

apraclonidine before and after, 360° ALT (26.4 ± 3.1)

ALT: argon laser trabeculoplasty; IOP: intraocular pressure; OAG: open‐angle glaucoma; POAG: primary open‐angle glaucoma; SLT: selective laser trabeculoplasty.

Figuras y tablas -
Table 1. Study Comparison
Comparison 1. Medication versus placebo (regardless of timing)

Outcome or subgroup title

No. of studies

No. of participants

Statistical method

Effect size

1 Intraocular pressure (IOP) increase of ≥ 5 mmHg within 2 hours after laser trabeculoplasty (LTP) Show forest plot

2

Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)

Totals not selected

1.1 Alpha‐2 agonists vs placebo

2

Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)

0.0 [0.0, 0.0]

2 IOP increase of ≥ 10 mmHg within 2 hours after LTP Show forest plot

4

446

Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)

0.05 [0.01, 0.20]

2.1 Acetazolamide vs placebo

1

100

Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)

0.03 [0.00, 0.52]

2.2 Alpha‐2 agonists vs placebo

3

346

Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)

0.06 [0.01, 0.27]

3 Mean change in IOP from pre‐LTP to measurements taken within 2 hours after LTP Show forest plot

4

Mean Difference (Random, 95% CI)

Subtotals only

3.1 Apraclonidine vs placebo (mmHg)

4

151

Mean Difference (Random, 95% CI)

‐7.43 [‐10.60, ‐4.27]

4 IOP increase of ≥ 5 mmHg two to 24 hours after LTP Show forest plot

5

Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)

Subtotals only

4.1 Alpha‐2 agonists vs placebo

5

634

Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)

0.17 [0.09, 0.31]

5 IOP elevation of ≥ 10 mmHg two to 24 hours after LTP Show forest plot

9

817

Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)

0.22 [0.11, 0.42]

5.1 Alpha‐2 agonists vs placebo

7

727

Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)

0.19 [0.07, 0.50]

5.2 Dorzolamide vs placebo

1

40

Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)

0.27 [0.01, 5.22]

5.3 Pilocarpine vs no treatment

1

50

Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)

0.23 [0.07, 0.71]

6 Mean change in IOP from pre‐LTP to measurements two to 24 hours after LTP Show forest plot

4

Mean Difference (Random, 95% CI)

Subtotals only

6.1 Apraclonidine vs placebo (mmHg)

4

151

Mean Difference (Random, 95% CI)

‐5.32 [‐7.37, ‐3.28]

Figuras y tablas -
Comparison 1. Medication versus placebo (regardless of timing)
Comparison 2. Medication versus medication: brimonidine versus apraclonidine (regardless of timing)

Outcome or subgroup title

No. of studies

No. of participants

Statistical method

Effect size

1 Intraocular pressure (IOP) increase of ≥ 5 mmHg within 2 hours after laser trabeculoplasty (LTP) Show forest plot

2

71

Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)

2.28 [0.32, 16.03]

2 Mean change in IOP from pre‐LTP to measurements taken within 2 hours after LTP (mmHg) Show forest plot

2

71

Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)

‐0.69 [‐2.56, 1.17]

Figuras y tablas -
Comparison 2. Medication versus medication: brimonidine versus apraclonidine (regardless of timing)
Comparison 3. Medication versus medication: apraclonidine versus pilocarpine (regardless of timing)

Outcome or subgroup title

No. of studies

No. of participants

Statistical method

Effect size

1 Mean change in intraocular pressure (IOP) from pre‐laser trabeculoplasty (LTP) to measurements taken within 2 hours after LTP (mmHg) Show forest plot

2

277

Mean Difference (Random, 95% CI)

0.61 [‐0.44, 1.66]

2 IOP increase of ≥ 5 mmHg two to 24 hours after LTP Show forest plot

2

Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)

Subtotals only

3 IOP increase of ≥ 10 mmHg two to 24 hours after LTP Show forest plot

2

390

Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)

0.87 [0.14, 5.63]

4 Mean change in IOP from pre‐LTP to measurements taken two to 24 hours after LTP (mmHg) Show forest plot

2

Mean Difference (Fixed, 95% CI)

Subtotals only

Figuras y tablas -
Comparison 3. Medication versus medication: apraclonidine versus pilocarpine (regardless of timing)
Comparison 4. Timing comparison: medication before versus medication after

Outcome or subgroup title

No. of studies

No. of participants

Statistical method

Effect size

1 Intraocular pressure (IOP) increase of ≥ 5 mmHg two to 24 hours after laser trabeculoplasty (LTP) Show forest plot

4

Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)

Subtotals only

1.1 Alpha‐2 agonists

4

319

Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)

0.82 [0.25, 2.63]

2 IOP increase of ≥ 10 mmHg two to 24 hours after LTP Show forest plot

4

Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)

Subtotals only

2.1 Alpha‐2 agonists

4

319

Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)

1.55 [0.19, 12.43]

3 Mean change in IOP from pre‐LTP to measurements taken more than 2 hours but within 24 hours after LTP (mmHg) Show forest plot

3

Mean Difference (Random, 95% CI)

Subtotals only

3.1 Alpha‐2 agonists (mmHg)

3

198

Mean Difference (Random, 95% CI)

‐1.07 [‐2.51, 0.37]

Figuras y tablas -
Comparison 4. Timing comparison: medication before versus medication after
Comparison 5. Adverse events

Outcome or subgroup title

No. of studies

No. of participants

Statistical method

Effect size

1 Conjunctival blanching (brimonidine vs placebo) Show forest plot

2

Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)

Subtotals only

Figuras y tablas -
Comparison 5. Adverse events