Photodynamic therapy for AMD and non-AMD patients: one-year results in Thais.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effect of photodynamic therapy (PDT) with verteporfin for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and non-AMD in Thais, and compare with the Treatment of Age-Related Macular Degeneration with Photodynamic Therapy (TAP) and Verteporfin in Photodynamic Therapy (VIP) study.


METHODS
The authors prospectively evaluated all data of 51 eyes of 51 patients who had undergone PDT and accomplished a 1-year follow up. The assessments were divided into two categories: group 1 included three subsets of AMD, and group 2 was non-AMD. The first group classified into three subgroups: group 1A: AMD with subfoveal choroidal neovascularization (CNV) and TAP/VIP compatible with recommendation guidelines characteristics, group 1B: AMD with subfoveal CNV and TAP/VIP incompatible, and group 1C: AMD with non-subfoveal CNV. The measurement outcomes comprised of the baseline characteristics, change in visual acuity, and number of treatments.


RESULTS
Thirty-eight eyes had CNV-related AMD and 13 eyes were non-AMD. At the 12-month examination, the mean visual acuity change in group 1A, 1B, 1C had increased 0.19 (p = 0.077), 0.14 (p = 0.076), and 0.24 (p = 0.003), respectively. The number of treatments was 1.8 in group 1A, 2.3 in group 1B, and 1.5 in group 1C.


CONCLUSIONS
PDT is beneficial to Thai patients with AMD at first year even if they were not compatible with TAP/VIP criteria.
Ratanasukon
Mansing
M
Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla, Thailand. mratanasukon@yahoo.com
Visaetsilpanonta
Siriraksa
S
Hanutsaha
Prut
P
Patikulsila
Direk
D
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D020256:Choroidal Neovascularization; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010778:Photochemotherapy; D011166:Porphyrins / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013785:Thailand; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000077362:Verteporfin; D014792:Visual Acuity
D011166:Porphyrins; D000077362:Verteporfin