Trabeculectomy with intraoperative mitomycin C versus 5-fluorouracil. Prospective randomized clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relative efficacy and safety of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and mitomycin C (MMC) when used as adjuncts with primary trabeculectomy in eyes not at high risk for failure.

DESIGN: Prospective multicenter, randomized clinical trial.

PARTICIPANTS: One hundred thirteen patients with primary open-angle, pseudoexfoliative, pigmentary, or angle-closure glaucoma undergoing primary trabeculectomy were recruited.

METHODS: One eye of each patient was randomized to receive either 5-FU (50 mg/ml for 5 minutes) or MMC (0.4 mg/ml for 2 minutes).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Intraocular pressure (IOP), visual acuity, complications, and interventions were documented at fixed intervals after surgery. The study also examined progression of visual field loss, long-term complications, and bleb appearance 3 years after surgery.

RESULTS: Of the 108 patients with complete perioperative information, 54 eyes received 5-FU and 54 received MMC. The proportion of patients reaching different predefined target IOPs after surgery was slightly higher in the MMC group than in the 5-FU group. This difference was less than 25%, which would have been necessary to achieve statistical significance with a power of 0.8 and the sample size used. Likewise, there was no statistically significant difference between the groups with regard to mean preoperative IOP, complications, or interventions. Mean postoperative follow-up was 309 and 330 days in the 5-FU and MMC groups, respectively (P = 0.593).

CONCLUSIONS: 5-Fluorouracil and MMC were found to be equally safe and effective adjuncts to primary trabeculectomy in the short- and medium-term postoperative periods.