Polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV): the 4-year review of the real-life treatment experiences

• Published in: Clinical ophthalmology (Auckland, N.Z.) Vol. 12; pp. 2177 - 2181
• Main Authors: Ratanasukon, Mansing, Bhurayanontachai, Patama, Jirarattanasopa, Pichai
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New Zealand Dove Medical Press Limited 01.01.2018; Taylor & Francis Ltd; Dove Medical Press
• Subjects: Abbreviations; Aflibercept; anti-vascular endothelial growth factor; Bevacizumab; Clinical outcomes; Clinical trials; Committees; Diabetic retinopathy; Endothelial growth factors; Endothelium; Ethics; Macular degeneration; Medical imaging; Medicine; Monoclonal antibodies; Ophthalmology; Original Research; Patients; Photochemotherapy; Photodynamic therapy; polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy; Ranibizumab; Studies; Vascular endothelial growth factor; Thailand; polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy; anti-vascular endothelial growth factor; photodynamic therapy
• ISSN: 1177-5467; 1177-5483; 1177-5483
• DOI: 10.2147/OPTH.S178228

The purpose of this article was to study the real-life treatment results of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV). This was a retrospective study. Patients with presumed age-related macular degeneration were reviewed, and PCV diagnosis was made using the EVEREST study criteria. Outcomes were changes in visual acuity (VA) and central retinal thickness, time between treatments, follow-up time, and number of treatments. The prevalence of PCV was 30.8%. At the beginning, 195 eyes received monotherapy of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) injections, either bevacizumab or ranibizumab, and only six eyes received the combination of anti-VEGF injection and photodynamic therapy (PDT) at the time of the first treatment. During the follow-up, some patients received "rescue or add-on" PDT when they had a poor response after anti-VEGF injections. After 4 years, the average number of injections was 8.25 and 9.15 for the anti-VEGF monotherapy and the combination groups, respectively. The average time between the first anti-VEGF injections and the first PDT was 21.4 months. The average VA in the anti-VEGF monotherapy group increased by 1.5 letters, whereas it decreased by 0.95 letters in the combination group ( =0.48). The review demonstrated the same visual outcomes between the combination therapy of anti-VEGF injections and rescue or add-on PDT vs monotherapy anti-VEGF injections in PCV treatment. When compared with EVEREST II and Planet studies, the "initial" or "rescue or add-on PDT" might have different effects on the final visual outcomes.