title: Intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy versus photodynamic therapy for idiopathic choroidal neovascularization.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare visual outcomes after intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) injection or photodynamic therapy (PDT) for idiopathic choroidal neovascularization (CNV).
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Among 29 eyes (28 patients), 15 eyes (15 patients) received anti-VEGF therapy and 14 eyes (13 patients) received PDT. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA, logMAR [logarithm of minimal angle of resolution]) at baseline and 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 months after initial treatment were compared. The eyes were classified by BCVA changes: improved (improvement ≥0.3 logMAR), decreased (deterioration ≥0.3 logMAR), and stable.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean BCVA was 0.56 ± 0.38 logMAR (20/72 in Snellen equivalent) in the PDT group and 0.44 ± 0.59 logMAR (20/55 in Snellen equivalent) in the anti-VEGF group at baseline (P = .104, Mann-Whitney U test). The anti-VEGF group showed significantly better mean BCVA at each follow-up visit when compared with that of PDT (P = .004 at 1 month, P = .002 at 3 months, P = .037 at 6 months, P = .031 at 12 months, and P = .049 at 24 months; Mann-Whitney U test, respectively). When compared with the baseline, mean BCVA at each follow-up visit was better in the anti-VEGF group (P = .196 at 1 month, P = .007 at 3 months, P = .046 at 6 months, P = .046 at 12 months, and P = .049 at 24 months; Wilcoxon signed rank test, respectively), whereas BCVA in the PDT group was not. At 24 months, all eyes (100.0%) treated with anti-VEGF showed stable or improved BCVA, whereas 3 eyes (21.3%) showed visual deterioration after PDT.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Anti-VEGF therapy was superior to PDT for idiopathic CNV, and superior efficacy was sustained until 24 months.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Hae Min
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Hyoung Jun
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Koh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D020256:Choroidal Neovascularization / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004396:Coloring Agents; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D006801:Humans; D007208:Indocyanine Green; D058449:Intravitreal Injections; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010778:Photochemotherapy; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011166:Porphyrins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000069579:Ranibizumab; 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; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D004396:Coloring Agents; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; D011166:Porphyrins; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D000077362:Verteporfin; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D007208:Indocyanine Green; D000069579:Ranibizumab