title: Photodynamic therapy with verteporfin for juxtafoveal choroidal neovascularization in pathologic myopia: a long-term follow-up study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effect of verteporfin photodynamic therapy (PDT) in juxtafoveal choroidal neovascularization (CNV) secondary to pathologic myopia (PM).
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective, open-label, consecutive, interventional case series.
  
  
  METHODS
  We prospectively followed a series of 48 consecutive patients (49 eyes) with pathologic myopia (> or = 6 diopters) who received verteporfin PDT for juxtafoveal CNV. This population was divided into two groups based on age (group A < or = 55 years old, group B >55 years old), in three subgroups based on CNV lesion size, and in three categories based on refractive error at baseline.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median follow-up was 32 months (range, 12 to 56 months). Visual acuity (VA) improved by 1 or more Snellen lines in 18 eyes (37%), decreased in 12 eyes (24%), and remained stable in 19 eyes (39%). The median number of lines gained was 2.15, while the median number of lines lost was 2.4. The final mean VA in group A (mean age, 43.9 years) was 20/50 (logMAR 0.41, standard deviation [SD] 0.3) and significantly better (P = .01) than the 20/105 (logMAR 0.72, SD 0.5) in group B (mean age, 67.8 years). Neither CNV size nor refractive error magnitude influenced visual outcomes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Verteporfin PDT is a promising treatment modality resulting in stable or improved vision in 76% of the myopic eyes with juxtafoveal CNV. Younger patients appear to respond more favorably to treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Melegnano Hospital, Milan, Italy. pece.retina@mclink.it
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pece
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vadalà
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Isola
authors.forename: Domenica
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Matranga
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D020256:Choroidal Neovascularization / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005584:Fovea Centralis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D047728:Myopia, Degenerative / Q000150:complications*; D010778:Photochemotherapy; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011166:Porphyrins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D000077362:Verteporfin; D014792:Visual Acuity
chemical_list: D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; D011166:Porphyrins; D000077362:Verteporfin