Abstract
Purpose: :
To retrospectively analyze the visual acuity (VA) outcomes after combined intravitreal anti-VEGF therapy and verteporfin photodynamic therapy (PDT), and the effect of baseline status on the VA outcome, including the number of retreatments required.
Methods: :
55 patients with wet AMD >50 years of age with subfoveal choroidal neovascularization (CNV) due to AMD were treated with bevacizumab or ranibizumab administered within 16 days of verteporfin PDT. The study eye could have been previously treated, or could be treatment-naïve. Study-eye VA was captured as Snellen scores and converted to letters. A dilated eye exam was performed and intraocular pressure checked.
Results: :
At the 6-month follow-up, there was a similar mean VA improvement for both previously treated and treatment-naïve patients (9.2 and 10.8 letters, respectively). Patients received a mean of 1.4 anti-VEGF retreatments and 0.2 verteporfin PDT retreatments. 44% of patients were not retreated with anti-VEGF beyond baseline and 84% were not retreated with verteporfin PDT after the initial combination treatment. Treatment-naïve patients had a mean of 1.2 anti-VEGF re-treatments, whereas previously treated patients had a mean of 1.5 anti-VEGF re-treatments. No serious adverse events were reported.
Conclusions: :
On the basis of this retrospective analysis, combined anti-VEGF therapy with verteporfin PDT could provide VA benefits with a reduced number of re-treatments. Interpretation of these results is limited by the small number of patients, retrospective collection and review of data, and absence of defined criteria for treatment or retreatment. Further investigation is warranted.
Keywords: age-related macular degeneration • vascular endothelial growth factor • photodynamic therapy