@article{3125294,
    title = "Prospective comparison of low-fluence photodynamic therapy combined with intravitreal bevacizumab versus bevacizumab monotherapy for choroidal neovascularization in age-related macular degeneration",
    author = "Datseris, I. and Kontadakis, G.A. and Diamanti, R. and Datseris, I. and Pallikaris, I.G. and Theodossiadis, P. and Tsilimbaris, M.K.",
    journal = "Seminars in Ophthalmology",
    year = "2015",
    volume = "30",
    number = "2",
    pages = "112-117",
    publisher = "LIBRAPHARM/INFORMA HEALTHCARE",
    issn = "0882-0538, 1744-5205",
    doi = "10.3109/08820538.2013.833268",
    keywords = "bevacizumab;  verteporfin;  angiogenesis inhibitor;  bevacizumab;  monoclonal antibody;  photosensitizing agent;  porphyrin;  vasculotropin A;  VEGFA protein, human;  verteporfin, age related macular degeneration;  aged;  Article;  central macular thickness;  central retinal thickness;  comparative study;  controlled study;  drug efficacy;  female;  follow up;  human;  major clinical study;  male;  monotherapy;  optical coherence tomography;  photodynamic therapy;  priority journal;  prospective study;  randomized controlled trial;  reduced fluence photodynamic therapy;  retina fovea;  subretinal neovascularization;  visual acuity;  antagonists and inhibitors;  Choroidal Neovascularization;  intravitreal drug administration;  middle aged;  multimodality cancer therapy;  pathophysiology;  photochemotherapy;  physiology;  procedures;  very elderly;  wet macular degeneration, Aged;  Aged, 80 and over;  Angiogenesis Inhibitors;  Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized;  Choroidal Neovascularization;  Combined Modality Therapy;  Female;  Humans;  Intravitreal Injections;  Male;  Middle Aged;  Photochemotherapy;  Photosensitizing Agents;  Porphyrins;  Prospective Studies;  Tomography, Optical Coherence;  Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A;  Visual Acuity;  Wet Macular Degeneration",
    abstract = "Purpose: 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 (25J/cm2) followed by intravitreal bevacizumab 1.25mg 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). Conclusion: 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. © 2015 Informa Healthcare."
}