Polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy and retinochoroidal anastomosis in Japanese patients eligible for photodynamic therapy for exudative age-related macular degeneration.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the percentage of Japanese patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) who are eligible for photodynamic therapy (PDT) with verteporfin who have either polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) or choroidal neovascularization (CNV) with retinochoroidal anastomosis (RCA).


METHODS
The medical charts of 82 consecutive patients (83 eyes) with subfoveal CNV due to AMD were reviewed. Initially, we determined which of these eyes were eligible for PDT by using the criteria reported by two large randomized control studies, that is, the Treatment of Age-related Macular Degeneration with Photodynamic Therapy (TAP) study and the Verteporfin in Photodynamic Therapy (VIP) study. Among the PDT-eligible patients, the percentage of eyes with PCV or CNV with RCA was determined by indocyanine green angiography (ICGA).


RESULTS
In total, 36 eyes (43%) of the 83 eyes were PDT-eligible; 17 (20%) based on the TAP study criteria, and 19 (23%) based on the VIP study criteria. Among these PDT-eligible eyes, ICGA revealed that 12 (33%) had PCV and 2 (6%) had CNV with RCA.


CONCLUSIONS
With ICGA, PCV or CNV with RCA were recognized in a substantial proportion of cases eligible for PDT based on the two clinical studies. Considering that the treatment efficacy of PDT for PCV or RCA has not been established, detection of PCV or RCA prior to PDT with ICGA is highly recommended.
Obata
Ryo
R
Department of Ophthalmology, University of Tokyo School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan. robata-tky@umin.ac.jp.|Department of Ophthalmology, Saitama Red-Cross Hospital, Saitama, Japan. robata-tky@umin.ac.jp.
Yanagi
Yasuo
Y
Department of Ophthalmology, University of Tokyo School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
Kami
Junko
J
Department of Ophthalmology, University of Tokyo School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
Takahashi
Hidenori
H
Department of Ophthalmology, University of Tokyo School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
Inoue
Yuji
Y
Department of Ophthalmology, University of Tokyo School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
Tamaki
Yasuhiro
Y
Department of Ophthalmology, University of Tokyo School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001163:Arteriovenous Anastomosis / Q000473:pathology*; D002829:Choroid / Q000098:blood supply*; D020256:Choroidal Neovascularization / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D005122:Exudates and Transudates; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D005654:Fundus Oculi; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010778:Photochemotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011166:Porphyrins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012171:Retinal Vessels / Q000473:pathology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000077362:Verteporfin
D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; D011166:Porphyrins; D000077362:Verteporfin