Abstract
Abstract: :
Purpose: To report the findings of patients treated with verteporfin PDT combined with intravitreal triamcinolone for CNV associated with AMD. Methods: One hundred and ninetynine patients presenting with CNV due to AMD were included in this prospective, noncomparative, interventional case series. The diagnosis and active leakage were confirmed by fluorescein angiography (FA). Purified TA was administered by intravitreal injection 16 hours after verteporfin therapy. Assessments included visual acuity testing, fundus and slit–lamp examination, tonometry and FA. Results: The mean age of the patients was 75.4 years and 80.4% of patients presented with subfoveal lesions, 10.1% with juxtafoveal lesions, and 9.5% with extrafoveal lesions. The mean follow–up was 30.5 weeks (up to 119 weeks).Baseline visual acuity ranged from hand movement to 20/100 with a mean of 20/125. An improvement of visual acuity (VA) of 1.14 lines (P<0.01) was observed comparing last visit VA with baseline VA. During the follow–up period, patients required a mean of 1.25 treatments (159 patients 1 treatment, 32 patients 2 treatments, 6 patients 3 treatments, 2 patients 4 treatments) to achieve persistent inactivation of the neovascular membrane. A transient increase in intraocular pressure was observed in 38 patients(19.1%) and was controlled by antiglaucomatous topical medication. Thirteen patients(6.5%) with preexisting glaucoma continued their usual topical medication. One patient required surgery for persistent increased IOP. Conclusions: Intravitreal administration of triamcinolone in combination with verteporfin therapy improved mean VA in patients in this case series. The treatment was well tolerated with transient and controllable increase in IOP.
Keywords: age-related macular degeneration • photodynamic therapy • choroid: neovascularization