title: [Does acetylsalicylic acid have a negative influence on photodynamic therapy?].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Non-thermal photodynamic therapy (PDT) is presently being used for the treatment of certain forms of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). This therapy results in selective occlusion of newly growing vessels. Due to this effectiveness of PDT the question came up whether inhibitors of platelet aggregation have an influence on PDT.
  
  
  METHODS
  Our retrospective study included 60 patients with mainly classic subfoveal choroidal neovascularizations (CNV) due to AMD. All patients were treated by PDT. Thirty patients took acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) because of their general disease before and during treatment. In the control group none of the patients took acetylsalicylic acid.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Best corrected visual acuity and measured dimension of the choroidal neovascularization showed before beginning PDT no statistically significant difference (visual acuity p=0.676; dimension of CNV p=0.678). Also no significant difference existed between visual acuity (p=0.412; p=0.226; p=0.969) and CNV (p=0.871; p=0.245; p=0.323) at the follow-up examination.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study has shown that acetylsalicylic acid does not have any effect on PDT treatment.
authors.affiliation: Augenklinik, Universität Homburg (Saar), Kirrberger Strasse 1, 66424 Homburg. aurupr@med-rz.uni-saarland.de
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Löw
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Kohlhof
authors.forename: K W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Ruprecht
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001241:Aspirin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D020256:Choroidal Neovascularization / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D010778:Photochemotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D004338:Drug Combinations; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; D001241:Aspirin