Combined ranibizumab and photodynamic therapy to treat exudative age-related macular degeneration: an option for improving treatment efficiency.
OBJECTIVE
The purposes of this study were to determine whether the association of photodynamic therapy (PDT) and intravitreal ranibizumab could improve vision in a group of patients with choroidal neovascularization secondary to age-related macular degeneration and whether it could reduce the number and frequency of intravitreal injections, thus minimizing adverse effects.


METHODS
A nonrandomized, prospective, interventional study was conducted of a case series of 53 patients with sub- and juxtafoveal choroidal neovascularization secondary to age-related macular degeneration treated with a single initial dose of PDT and intravitreal ranibizumab. Retreatments were performed as required with monthly ranibizumab and PDT every 3 months if there were relapses. The retreatment criteria were based on visual acuity, optical coherence tomography, and fluorescein angiography. Follow-up lasted 12 months in all cases.


RESULTS
The mean initial visual acuity was 40.6 letters versus 47.8 letters at the end of follow-up with a gain of 7.2 letters (P < 0.001). Moreover, 78.8% maintained or improved their initial vision, and 92.3% avoided moderate vision loss (>15 letters). A total of 65 PDT treatments (mean, 1.22 per patient) was performed and 126 doses of ranibizumab were injected (mean, 2.37 per patient). Only a single initial dose (PDT + ranibizumab) was required in 21 cases (39.6%). The central retinal thickness and choroidal neovascularization size decreased to 118 microm and 0.26 disk areas, respectively, from baseline to 12 months.


CONCLUSIONS
Combined customized PDT + ranibizumab treatment can achieve visual results similar to those obtained with intravitreal monotherapy with the advantage of fewer intravitreous injections and reduced potential for adverse effects.
Vitreoretinal Department, Fundación Oftalmológica del Mediterráneo, Valencia, Spain. jormabo@ono.com
Jorge
J
Mataix
Elena
E
Palacios
Desco M
DM
Carmen
Maria
M
Garcia-Pous
Amparo
A
Navea
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D020256:Choroidal Neovascularization / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005122:Exudates and Transudates; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D010778:Photochemotherapy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D000069579:Ranibizumab; D019233:Retreatment; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000069579:Ranibizumab