title: Interferon alfa-2a in the treatment of exudative age-related macular degeneration.
abstract: Nineteen patients (20 eyes) with the exudative form of macular degeneration were treated with parenteral interferon alfa-2a. Fifteen patients (16 eyes) had adequate follow-up for evaluation of outcome of the exudative macular lesion. The average follow-up was 8 months (range 5-11 months). Color photographs and fluorescein angiograms were evaluated independently by two masked readers for change in size, presence of fibrosis, and leakage of the neovascular lesion. During the follow-up, none of the exudative lesions resolved: one lesion became smaller, four remained the same, nine enlarged, and two could not be graded based on the photographs. Visual acuity remained 20/40 or better in four eyes. The proportion of eyes with visual acuity of 20/200 or worse increased from 35% at the initial visit to 59% at the final visit. Ten patients experienced significant but reversible side effects, including weight loss, depression, and/or hematopoietic suppression. The data from these cases do not support any significant treatment benefit from interferon alfa-2a at the doses used in exudative macular degeneration.
authors.affiliation: Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Miami School of Medicine, FL 33136.
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chuang
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005122:Exudates and Transudates; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005654:Fundus Oculi; D006801:Humans; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity
chemical_list: D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins