Photodynamic therapy with verteporfin for polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

To describe the efficacy of photodynamic therapy (PDT) with verteporfin for the treatment of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV).

METHODS:

This is a retrospective interventional case series of 41 eyes of 40 patients with angiographic evidence of PCV, which had PDT with verteporfin. Pre-treatment best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was measured and patients were followed up for at least 12 months with BCVA recorded at each visit.

RESULTS:

The mean follow-up time was 23.7 months. Seven of 10 eyes (70%) with juxtafoveal lesions and 17 of 31 eyes (54.8%) with subfoveal lesions had stable or improved vision (loss of <or=3 lines) at the last follow-up. The mean number of treatments was 1.90. Thirty-three eyes (80.5%) had dry, quiescent scars at last follow-up, six eyes (14.6%) had persistent leakage, and two eyes (4.9%) had evidence of choroidal neovascularisation.

CONCLUSION:

Our results indicate that 24 of 41 eyes (58.5%) with serosanguinous maculopathy secondary to PCV treated with PDT had stable or improved vision (loss of <or=3 lines) after a mean follow-up of almost 2 years. However, in view of the retrospective nature of this study, the true efficacy of PDT for PCV would have to be evaluated with a larger randomised controlled trial.

• Authors: M-W Lee, I Yeo, D Wong, C-L Ang
• Journal: Eye (London, England) (Eye (Lond)) Vol. 23 Issue 6 Pg. 1417-22 (Jun 2009) ISSN: 1476-5454 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 18756283 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Photosensitizing Agents
• Porphyrins
• Verteporfin

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Choroid Diseases (drug therapy)
• Female
• Follow-Up Studies
• Humans
• Macular Degeneration (drug therapy)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Peripheral Vascular Diseases (drug therapy)
• Photochemotherapy (methods)
• Photosensitizing Agents (therapeutic use)
• Porphyrins (therapeutic use)
• Retrospective Studies
• Treatment Outcome
• Verteporfin
• Visual Acuity