title: [Clinical effects of photodynamic therapy with Verteporfin for age-related macular degeneration 1: three-month results].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the 3-month effects after one-time photodynamic therapy (PDT) for subfoveal choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
  
  
  METHODS
  The subjects were 122 patients with subfoveal CNV due to AMD detected by fluorescein angiography (FA). FA, indocyanine-green angiography (IA), and the examination of visual acuity were done before and 3 months after PDT. The diameter of CNV in FA was compared, and ophthalmological examination before the treatment determined whether there were any factors associated with a reduction or suppression of CNV.
  
  
  RESULTS
  3 months after PDT, 89 eyes had a significant (p < 0.001) reduction of CNV (41 eyes had blockage of CNV). In case of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) detected by IA, CNV was significantly reduced compared with the effects of other types of therapy (p = 0.032). Moreover, CNV was blocked significantly when fibrin tissue was present on a part of CNV before treatment (p = 0.026). Visual acuity was maintained or improved in 96 eyes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  One-time PDT was effective in reducing or suppressing CNV as confirmed by FA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Surugadai Hospital of Nihon University School of Medicine, 1-8-13 Kanda Surugadai, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-8309, Japan. tkasuminn@yahoo.co.jp
authors.forename: Kasumi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tochigi
authors.forename: Yoko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.forename: Tetsuhiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kyo
authors.forename: Takuhiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Komoto
authors.forename: Mitsuko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yuzawa
authors.forename: Koujiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shimotsuma
authors.forename: Shunichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fukuhara
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010778:Photochemotherapy; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011166:Porphyrins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000077362:Verteporfin
chemical_list: D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; D011166:Porphyrins; D000077362:Verteporfin