Abstract
Purpose:
To compare the therapeutic efficacy of intravitreal ranibizumab (IVR) combined with reduced-fluence photodynamic therapy (RF-PDT) to that of IVR alone on eyes with polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV).
Methods:
Fifty naïve eyes of 47 consecutive patients with PCV were studied. Seventeen eyes of 17 patients had three monthly IVR and one RF-PDT after the initial IVR (combined group), and 30 eyes of 30 patients had three monthly IVR alone (IVR group). Additional treatments were given when needed. The best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central foveal thickness (CFT) before and after 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months were compared between the two groups. The complications were also compared between the two groups.
Results:
At 12 months, the mean decimal BCVA was significantly improved from 0.55 to 0.38 (P=0.041) in the combined group, but not significantly improved in the IVR group (P=0.371). The CFT was significantly reduced in both groups at 6 months (P<0.01). Additional treatments were required less frequently in the combined group (n=3; 17%) than in the IVR group (n=16; 53%) during the 12 months follow-up (P=0.029).
Conclusions:
A combination of IVR and RF-PDT led to a significant improvement of the BCVA and required fewer additional IVR treatments for at least 12 months in eyes with PCV.
Keywords: 412 age-related macular degeneration •
629 optic nerve •
631 orbit