Relation between changes in foveal choroidal thickness and 1-year results of ranibizumab therapy for polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy.
OBJECTIVE
To determine a correlation between changes in the subfoveal choroidal thickness and outcomes 1 year after ranibizumab therapy for polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV).


METHODS
We prospectively studied 89 consecutive eyes with treatment-naïve symptomatic PCV and 1 year of follow-up after treatment. The choroidal thickness was measured monthly by optical coherence tomography using enhanced-depth imaging and the correlation between the changes in the choroidal thickness and outcomes 1 year after treatment was analysed.


RESULTS
86 eyes followed for 1 year were ultimately analysed. The mean logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution visual acuity (0.33±0.35) 1 year after the first injection significantly (p=0.001) improved compared to baseline (0.42±0.37). The mean choroidal and foveal retinal thicknesses decreased significantly (p=0.001 for both comparisons) from 271 and 347 μm to 212 and 203 μm, respectively. The amplitude of the change in the subfoveal choroidal thickness during the 1-year follow-up in eyes in which the polypoidal lesions resolved 1 year after the first injection (89±94 μm) was significantly (p=0.022) greater than in eyes in which the polypoidal lesions remained (45±109 μm).


CONCLUSIONS
The subfoveal choroidal thickness decreased during ranibizumab therapy, which was associated with resolved polypoidal lesions and foveal retinal thickness, and may be associated with PCV activity.
Department of Ophthalmology, Ohtsuka Eye Hospital, Sapporo, Japan.
Taiichi
T
Hikichi
Department of Ophthalmology, Ohtsuka Eye Hospital, Sapporo, Japan.
Hirokuni
H
Kitamei
Department of Ophthalmology, Ohtsuka Eye Hospital, Sapporo, Japan.
Shoko
S
Shioya
Department of Ophthalmology, Ohtsuka Eye Hospital, Sapporo, Japan.
Makoto
M
Higuchi
Department of Ophthalmology, Ohtsuka Eye Hospital, Sapporo, Japan.
Takuro
T
Matsushita
Department of Ophthalmology, Ohtsuka Eye Hospital, Sapporo, Japan.
Shoko
S
Kosaka
Department of Ophthalmology, Ohtsuka Eye Hospital, Sapporo, Japan.
Reiko
R
Matsushita
Department of Ophthalmology, Ohtsuka Eye Hospital, Sapporo, Japan.
Kimitaka
K
Takami
Department of Ophthalmology, Ohtsuka Eye Hospital, Sapporo, Japan.
Hideo
H
Ohtsuka
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002829:Choroid / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005584:Fovea Centralis / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D058449:Intravitreal Injections; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D000069579:Ranibizumab; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000187:drug effects; D057135:Wet Macular Degeneration / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000069579:Ranibizumab
Choroidal Thickness; Polypoidal Choroidal Vasculopathy; Ranibizumab