Abstract
Abstract: :
Purpose: To report the results of photodynamic therapy (PDT) in patients with exudative ARMD with a classic component of ≷90%, and to investigate whether limitation of the number of retreatments in these patientgroup is possible. Methods: We treated 54 patients with exudative ARMD with PDT, according to the settings used in the TAP study. Only patients with a classic component of ≷ 90% were included. As in the TAP study, patients were re-treated every 3 months if the fluoresceinangiogram showed leakage. In contrast with the TAP study, we discontinued treatment if leakage was minimal. All these patients were carefully monitored with ETDRS-visus and fluoresceinangiography every 3 months. We report our results after a follow-up of 6 months (47 patients) and after 12 months (20 patients). Results: At 6 months follow-up 6/47 (13%) had a moderate visual loss of ≷15 to 30 letters, and 3/47 (6%) had severe visual loss (≷30 letters). At 12 months follow-up, 4/20 (20%) had a moderate visual loss of ≷15 to 30 letters, and 2/20 (10%) had severe visual loss (≷30 letters). These results are somewhat better than in the TAP-study (moderate visual loss and severe visual loss at 6 months 27% and 7% respectively, and at 12 months 39% and 15% respectively). At 6 months, 8 patients had no leakage, and 7 showed minimal leakage. Thus, only 32/47 (68%) of the patients were re-retreated compared to 79 % in TAP. At 12 months, eight patients had no leakage, and one had minimal leakage. Thus, only 9/20 (45%) were re-treated, compared to 64% in TAP. Conclusion: In exudative ARMD patients with a classic component of ≷90% the number of PDT-retreatments may be reduced savely.
Keywords: 516 photodynamic therapy • 554 retina