Photodynamic treatment versus photodynamic treatment associated with systemic steroids for idiopathic choroidal neovascularisation.
OBJECTIVE
To compare photodynamic therapy (PDT) with PDT associated with systemic steroids (SS) for the control of juxta/subfoveal idiopathic choroidal neovascularisation (ICNV).


METHODS
Patients with juxta/subfoveal ICNV were randomised and then treated. Visual gain and loss were defined as improvement in or worsening for two or more lines of best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), respectively. Choroidal neovascularisation size after treatment was classified as "increased" and "reduced" if it was increased or reduced by >200 microm(2), respectively.


RESULTS
10 patients were treated with PDT, 10 with SS followed by PDT. The median follow-up time was 22 and 21 months for the "steroid+PDT group" and the "PDT group", respectively. At 1 year, in the PDT group, five patients had stable/improved BCVA, and five became worse; the mean number of PDT was 2.3; in the steroid+PDT group, all patients were stable/improved and the mean number of PDT was 1.2. The difference between the two groups was significant (p<0.05). At 1 year, the ICNV size after treatment was better in the steroid+PDT group than in the PDT group (p<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The use of SS before PDT has shown better BCVA outcome than PDT alone (p<0.05), reducing the mean number of PDT applications (1.2 vs 2.3, respectively), with smaller scar size.
Giovannini
Alfonso
A
Neuroscience Department, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy.
Neri
Piergiorgio
P
Mercanti
Lucia
L
Bruè
Claudia
C
D000293:Adolescent; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D020256:Choroidal Neovascularization / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010778:Photochemotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D011239:Prednisolone