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Reduced fluence versus standard photodynamic therapy in combination with intravitreal triamcinolone: short-term results of a randomised study

¹ Department of Ophthalmology, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
² Department of Ophthalmology, University Zurich, Switzerland

Correspondence to:
Professor S Sacu, Medical University of Vienna, Department of Ophthalmology, Waehringer Guertel 18–20, A-1090, Vienna, Austria; stefan.sacu{at}meduniwien.ac.at

Background: To compare early treatment effect of reduced fluence versus standard photodynamic therapy (rPDT, sPDT, respectively) in combination with intravitreal triamcinolone (IVTA) in neovascular age-related macular degeneration.

Methods: Forty patients received either sPDT (group A, n = 20) or rPDT (group B, n = 20) each followed by same-day 4 mg IVTA. Patients were examined at baseline, day 1, week 1, 4 and 12. Main outcomes were visual acuity, central retinal thickness (CRT), choroidal perfusion and macular sensitivity (MS).

Results: Baseline characteristics were well balanced in both groups (p>0.05). At week 12, patients in group A had a mean loss of –3.7 letters compared with a gain of 3.4 letters in group B (p = 0.04, between both groups). Both treatment groups showed a similar course regarding CRT as well as MS (p>0.05). In 70% (14/20) of group A and 15% (3/20) of group B, a choroidal hypoperfusion in the area of treatment was observed after treatment (p<0.001). In 70% of group A and 55% of group B, a repeat treatment was indicated at week 12 (p = 0.55).

Conclusions: At month 3, the rPDT+IVTA group showed a significantly better visual outcome, less alteration of the choroid and a trend for lower recurrence rate than the sPDT+IVTA group. Further follow-up of this study will provide information on long-term functional results and treatment durability.