title: Low fluence rate photodynamic therapy combined with intravitreal bevacizumab for neovascular age-related macular degeneration.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report the efficacy and safety of intravitreal bevacizumab (IVB) alone versus IVB plus low-fluence photodynamic therapy (PDT) in age-related macular degeneration (AMD) patients and to verify the occurrence of a synergistic effect of the combined approach on visual acuity, size and morphology of lesion, as well as on the treatment rate.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective comparative interventional study on 85 patients with treatment-naive classic, or predominantly classic, subfoveal choroidal neovascularisation secondary to AMD. Patients were randomly assigned to group 1 (IVB injections) and group 2 (IVB plus low fluence PDT). In group 2, the PDT with verteporfin was delivered with a low fluence rate (300 mW/cm2 for 83 s, 25 J/cm2). The follow-up was scheduled at 1, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The eye without recurrence received a mean of 2.8 (group 1) versus 1.4 (group 2) IVB injections, whereas the eyes with recurrence received a mean of 3.2 (group 1) versus 2.2 (group 2) IVB injections. The difference in reinjection rate between the two groups was statistically significant (p=0.03, ANOVA test). Visual acuity improvement was not statistically significant between the two groups (p=0.31).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The combination of IVB with low fluence PDT for the treatment of classic or predominantly classic neovascular AMD works in a synergistic fashion with a significant reduction in IVB reinjections rate.
authors: Dipartimento di Scienze per la Salute, Università degli Studi del Molise, Campobasso, Italy.
authors: Ciro
authors: C
authors: Costagliola
authors: Mario R
authors: MR
authors: Romano
authors: Michele
authors: M
authors: Rinaldi
authors: Roberto
authors: R
authors: dell'Omo
authors: Flavia
authors: F
authors: Chiosi
authors: Massimo
authors: M
authors: Menzione
authors: Francesco
authors: F
authors: Semeraro
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D020256:Choroidal Neovascularization / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D056965:Injections, Intraocular; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010778:Photochemotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000187:drug effects; D014822:Vitreous Body
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000068258:Bevacizumab