Photodynamic therapy with verteporfin in polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy: results after 3 years of follow-up.

Abstract

PURPOSE:

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of verteporfin photodynamic therapy on the treatment of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy.

METHODS:

A prospective, nonrandomized institutional study was conducted involving 42 eyes of 38 patients with newly diagnosed symptomatic polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy treated exclusively with photodynamic therapy. Twenty-seven eyes completed 3 years of follow-up. Subjects were observed every 3 months with evaluation of best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), retinography, and fluorescein and indocyanine green angiography. Treatment was given whenever the patient exhibited subfoveal exudation on fluorescein angiography.

RESULTS:

Mean BCVA was 0.91 +/- 0.33 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution on the initial visit and 0.93 +/- 0.39 on the 36-month visit. Patients were submitted to an average of 3.19 treatment sessions. On the final evaluation at 36 months, 14.8% of the treated eyes improved their BCVA by at least 0.3 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution, 74.1% had no significant loss of BCVA, and 25.9% lost >or=0.3 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution. Recurrences were frequent (59.3% of the eyes at 3 years of follow-up), responded well to retreatment, and were not associated with additional BCVA loss.

CONCLUSION:

Photodynamic therapy remains a good option for management of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy. After 3 years, approximately three fourths of the treated eyes had no significant loss of vision, and 14.8% showed significant improvement in visual acuity.

• Authors: Sérgio Leal, Rufino Silva, João Figueira, M Luz Cachulo, Isabel Pires, José Rui Faria de Abreu, José Guilherme Cunha-Vaz
• Journal: Retina (Philadelphia, Pa.) (Retina) Vol. 30 Issue 8 Pg. 1197-205 (Sep 2010) ISSN: 1539-2864 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 20827139 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Coloring Agents
• Photosensitizing Agents
• Porphyrins
• Verteporfin
• Indocyanine Green

Topics

• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Choroid (blood supply)
• Choroid Diseases (diagnosis, drug therapy, physiopathology)
• Coloring Agents
• Female
• Fluorescein Angiography
• Follow-Up Studies
• Humans
• Indocyanine Green
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Peripheral Vascular Diseases (diagnosis, drug therapy, physiopathology)
• Photochemotherapy
• Photosensitizing Agents (adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Porphyrins (adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Prospective Studies
• Recurrence
• Treatment Outcome
• Verteporfin
• Visual Acuity (physiology)