Abstract
Purpose: :
To investigate whether polymorphism of the complement factor H (CFH) gene has an effect on the outcome of the photodynamic therapy (PDT) in recent exudative age–related macular degeneration (AMD).
Methods: :
The material consisted of single eye of 89 patients with exudative AMD who had underwent PDT therapy in the Department of Ophthalmology of Helsinki University Central Hospital in 2000–2004. Complete eye examination and fluorescein angiographies (FAG) were performed at the baseline and at follow–up visists to analyze the efficacy of the PDT. PDT was deemed "succesful" if the treating ophthalmologist considered the lesion to be clinically dry and without angiographic leakage, and no further treatment was suggested. The DNA of subjects was sequenced to analyze polymorphism of the CFH gene.
Results: :
The mean number of PDT–treatments for C/C genotype was 3.4±1.3 (n=27, mean age 73.3), for T/C genotype 2.7±1.5 (n=50, mean age 75.8), and for T/T genotype 3.0±1.9 (n=12, mean age 75.6). The number of treatments needed was higher in patients with the C/C genotype compared to those with the T/C and T/T genotypes (combined mean number of PDT–treatments for T/C and T/T was 2.8±1.5), (p=0.018, Mann–Whitney test ). The PDT therapy was deemed succesful in 70.4% of the patients with the C/C genotype, in 68.0% of those with the T/C genotype, and in 58.3% of the T/T genotype (n.s.).
Conclusions: :
No statistically significant difference exists in the succes rate of PDT treatments between the different genotypes. The presence of at least one normal allele may reduce the number of PDT sessions needed.
Keywords: age-related macular degeneration • genetics • photodynamic therapy