Pulsatile ocular blood flow of choroidal neovascularization in asymmetric age-related macular degeneration after transpupillary thermotherapy.
OBJECTIVE
A previous study has shown that the pulsatile ocular blood flow (POBF) in eyes with asymmetric age-related macular degeneration (AMD) differs. Whereas eyes with drusen have higher POBF than contralateral eyes with disciform scarring, the POBF of eyes with drusen is lower relative to contralateral eyes with choroidal neovascularization (CNV). This study was designed to assess whether the POBF of eyes with CNV changes after transpupillary thermotherapy (TTT), using the contralateral eyes with drusen or scarring without TTT as controls.


METHODS
In total, 26 patients with CNV in one eye and drusen or scarring in the other were enrolled in this prospective case series. Eyes with CNV were treated with TTT. POBF was measured monthly in both eyes of each subject.


RESULTS
Before TTT, the POBF of eyes with CNV was 1179+/-317 microl/min. After TTT, the POBF of CNV eyes had decreased at 1 month (1015+/-273 microl/min, P=0.002) and 2 months (945+/-398 microl/min, P=0.011) of follow-up, but had rebounded at 3 months (P=0.441) and 6 months (P=0.084).


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that TTT decreases the pulsatile choroidal blood flow in eyes with CNV in patients with asymmetric AMD and the effects persist for 2 months. POBF may be used as a modality to monitor the therapeutic effects of CNV in asymmetric exudative AMD.
Chen
S-J
SJ
Department of Ophthalmology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, National Yang-Ming University, School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan. sjchen@vghtpe.gov.tw
Cheng
C-Y
CY
Lee
A-F
AF
Lee
F-L
FL
Hsu
W-M
WM
Liu
J-H
JH
D000368:Aged; D001794:Blood Pressure; D020256:Choroidal Neovascularization / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005123:Eye / Q000098:blood supply*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006979:Hyperthermia, Induced; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008365:Manometry; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011673:Pulsatile Flow; D015593:Retinal Drusen / Q000503:physiopathology