Abstract
Purpose: :
To compare the efficacy of photodynamic therapy (PDT) with or without intravitreal anti-VEGF injection for the treatment of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV)
Methods: :
Medical records of 21 patients with symptomatic polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy who received combination therapy with PDT and anti-VEGF injection or PDT monotherapy were retrospectively reviewed. Visual acuity, optical coherence tomography, and angiographic findings were compared between the two patients groups at baseline and 12 months.
Results: :
In combined treatment group (n=11), mean 4.1 times of intravitreal anti-VEGF injection followed by initial PDT were performed during 12 months follow-up. In PDT monotherapy group (n=10), mean number of PDT was 1.8 during 12 months follow-up. Stable or improved vision was achieved in all 21 eyes of the two groups at the 12-months follow-up. The change in logMAR best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at 12 months was statistically significant (P=0.002 in combined group, and 0.017 in PDT monotherapy group). LogMAR BCVA at baseline and 12 months were not significantly different between the two groups. Subretinal fluid was resolved in 78% in combined treatment group and in 57% in PDT monotherapy group. Pigment epithelial detachment was resolved or decreased in 86% in combined treatment group and 67% in PDT monotherapy group.
Conclusions: :
Photodynamic therapy with or without intravitreal anti-VEGF agent injection showed good visual outcome in PCV. Visual outcome, OCT, angiographic findings were not significantly different between combined PDT with anti-VEGF group and PDT monotherapy group.
Keywords: age-related macular degeneration • clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: treatment/prevention assessment/controlled clinical trials • photodynamic therapy