title: Prospective comparison of low-fluence photodynamic therapy combined with intravitreal bevacizumab versus bevacizumab monotherapy for choroidal neovascularization in age-related macular degeneration.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate combination treatment with reduced-fluence photodynamic therapy (RDPDT) with Verteporfin and intravitreal bevacizumab, compared to bevacizumab alone, for choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in age-related macular degeneration.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a prospective, randomized comparative study comprising 95 patients with CNV. 49 patients received RDPDT (25 J/cm(2)) followed by intravitreal bevacizumab 1.25 mg one hour later, while 46 received intravitreal bevacizumab alone. Patients were followed for 12 months at four-week intervals with visual acuity (VA) assessment and Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) of the macula. Bevacizumab re-injections were performed as needed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  On average, patients were re-injected 4.45 times in the combination group and 6.96 times in the bavacizumab group (p < 0.001). At 12 months, VA improved by 8.64 letters in the bevacizumab group and by 8.37 letters in the combination group (p = 0.922).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Adding a reduced-fluence PDT arm in combination with bevacizumab offers similar results to those of intravitreal bevacizumab alone with significantly reduced number of injection repetitions.
authors.affiliation: OMMA Eye Institute , Athens , Greece .
authors.forename: Ioannis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Datseris
authors.forename: Georgios A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Kontadakis
authors.forename: Ramza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Diamanti
authors.forename: Iordanis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Datseris
authors.forename: Ioannis G
authors.initials: IG
authors.lastname: Pallikaris
authors.forename: Panagiotis
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Theodossiadis
authors.forename: Miltiadis K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Tsilimbaris
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D020256:Choroidal Neovascularization / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D058449:Intravitreal Injections; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010778:Photochemotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011166:Porphyrins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011446:Prospective Studies; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D000077362:Verteporfin; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology; D057135:Wet Macular Degeneration / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology
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
keywords: Age-related macular degeneration; bevacizumab; choroidal neovascularization; photodynamic therapy; verteporfin