title: Combined intravitreal ranibizumab and photodynamic therapy for polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To clarify the efficacy of combined therapy with intravitreal ranibizumab injections and photodynamic therapy in patients with symptomatic polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively reviewed 28 naive eyes of 28 patients (17 men, 11 women; mean age, 73.4 years; range, 55-85 years) with 20/40 or less baseline visual acuity treated with 3 consecutive monthly intravitreal injections of ranibizumab (0.5 mg/0.05 mL) and photodynamic therapy and followed-up for at least 12 months. Photodynamic therapy was administered 1 day or 2 days after the initial injection of ranibizumab.
  
  
  RESULTS
  : The mean best-corrected visual acuity levels significantly (P < 0.0001) improved from 0.33 at baseline to 0.61 at 12 months. The mean improvement in best-corrected visual acuity 12 months from baseline was 2.65 lines. The best-corrected visual acuity at 12 months improved in 15 eyes (53.6%) by ≥3 lines and was stable (defined as a loss of <3 lines of vision) in 13 eyes (46.4%). The central retinal thickness significantly (P < 0.0001) decreased from 366 µm to 151 µm at 12 months. The mean numbers of photodynamic therapy treatments and injections during 12 months including the treatments during the initial regimen were 1.1 and 3.7, respectively. No complications developed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Combined intravitreal ranibizumab and photodynamic therapy for polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy maintained or improved visual acuity and reduced the exudation without adverse events.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima, Japan. smasaaki@fmu.ac.jp
authors.forename: Masaaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: Tomohiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Iida
authors.forename: Mariko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kano
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002829:Choroid / Q000098:blood supply; D015862:Choroid Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D006801:Humans; D058449:Intravitreal Injections; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010778:Photochemotherapy; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011127:Polyps / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011166:Porphyrins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000069579:Ranibizumab; D012160:Retina / Q000473:pathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D000077362:Verteporfin; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; D011166:Porphyrins; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D000077362:Verteporfin; D000069579:Ranibizumab