title: Photodynamic therapy with or without intravitreal bevacizumab for polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy: two years of follow-up.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the long-term results of the efficacy of photodynamic therapy (PDT) with or without intravitreal bevacizumab (IVB) injections for polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective, comparative, interventional case series.
  
  
  METHODS
  We included 69 eyes of 69 patients with macula-involved polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy. All patients were followed up for more than 2 years. We compared the treatment outcomes between groups and investigated the factors influencing visual improvement at 24 months of follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-six patients received PDT combined with IVB and 33 patients received PDT monotherapy. At 3 months, the mean logarithm of minimal angle of resolution (logMAR) best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) improved from 0.73 to 0.53 in the combined therapy group (P < .001) and from 0.79 to 0.72 in the PDT monotherapy group (P = .02), with a significant difference in treatment efficacy between the 2 groups (P < .001). However, the improvements in BCVA were not statistically significant after 21 months in the combined therapy group and 15 months in the monotherapy group. The difference in treatment efficacy between the 2 groups was not significant after 6 months. Initial BCVA (P = .005), lesion size (P = .011), patient age (P = .018), and location of polyps (P = .006) significantly predicted the final visual outcome rather than treatment modality (P = .243).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PDT combined with IVB for symptomatic PCV was temporarily superior to PDT monotherapy, and the treatment efficacy decreased with time. Initial BCVA, lesion size, and location were more significant than treatment modality as the factors influencing final visual improvement.
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, National Taiwan University Hospital Yun-Lin Branch, Yun-Lin, Taiwan.
authors: Yi-An
authors: YA
authors: Lee
authors: Chang-Hao
authors: CH
authors: Yang
authors: Chung-May
authors: CM
authors: Yang
authors: Tzyy-Chang
authors: TC
authors: Ho
authors: Chang-Ping
authors: CP
authors: Lin
authors: Jen-Sheng
authors: JS
authors: Huang
authors: Muh-Shy
authors: MS
authors: Chen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D015862:Choroid Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D058449:Intravitreal Injections; D008297:Male; D010778:Photochemotherapy; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011127:Polyps / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011166:Porphyrins / Q000627:therapeutic use; 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; D000068258:Bevacizumab