Clinical features and follow-up results of pulsating polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy treated with photodynamic therapy.
OBJECTIVE
To report on the clinical course of pulsating polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) treated with photodynamic therapy (PDT).


METHODS
A total of 63 eyes of 58 consecutive patients diagnosed with PCV, treated with PDT and followed up for at least 6months were enrolled. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), fluorescein angiography and high-speed indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) using confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (HRA) were performed.


RESULTS
Of the 63 PCV eyes, 14 eyes (22.2%) of 14 patients were classified as having pulsating PCV. The mean age of pulsating PCV patients was 60.6±7.0years (48-69years), which was younger than non-pulsating PCV patients (65.7years, p=0.035). The mean follow-up period was 23.9±10.7months, and PDT was administered 1.6±0.9 times to pulsating PCV patients. The mean logMAR BCVAs were 0.85±0.47 at presentation and 0.71±0.52 at final examination. Extensive haemorrhagic events were more common in pulsating than in non-pulsating PCV patients (57.1% versus 26.5%, p=0.032). However, the risk of haemorrhage within 3months of PDT was similar for both pulsating PCV and the remaining patients (14.3% versus 20%, p=0.723).


CONCLUSIONS
Pulsating PCV showed distinctive features including a relatively younger patient age at presentation, and a haemorrhagic tendency (especially extensive). However, the use of PDT did not directly increase the risk of haemorrhage in pulsating PCV patients.
Byeon
Suk Ho
SH
Department of Ophthalmology, The Institute of Vision Research, College of Medicine, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea.
Lew
Young Ju
YJ
Lee
Sung Chul
SC
Kwon
Oh Woong
OW
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002829:Choroid / Q000098:blood supply*; D015862:Choroid Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004396:Coloring Agents; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007208:Indocyanine Green; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016491:Peripheral Vascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D010778:Photochemotherapy; D011379:Prognosis; D011673:Pulsatile Flow; D012166:Retinal Hemorrhage / Q000503:physiopathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology
D004396:Coloring Agents; D007208:Indocyanine Green