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    Br J Ophthalmol. 2008 Dec;92(12):1620-7.

    Combination of verteporfin photodynamic therapy and ranibizumab: effects on retinal anatomy, choroidal perfusion and visual function in the protect study.

    Kiss CG, Simader C, Michels S, Schmidt-Erfurth U.

    Department of Ophthalmology, Medical University of Vienna, Austria.

    OBJECTIVE: To evaluate verteporfin and same-day ranibizumab on retina, choroid, vasculature, choroidal neovascularisation (CNV) and visual function. METHODS: Eleven patients with occult or predominantly classic subfoveal CNV secondary to age-related macular degeneration received verteporfin and four monthly intravitreal ranibizumab injections. Eyes were examined using fluorescein angiography (FA) and indocyanine green angiography (ICGA), optical coherence tomography (OCT), visual acuity (VA) and microperimetry. RESULTS: Over 9 months, seven patients gained three to 24 letters and one had unchanged VA. Three patients lost eight to 24 letters due to recurrence and received another verteporfin treatment at month 6. Median retinal sensitivity of the central 4 degrees of the macula increased from 0.9 (SD 2.3) dB (baseline) to 5.2 (1.8) dB (only baseline verteporfin) and 4.1 (4.5) dB (second verteporfin treatment) at study end. OCT showed sub- and intraretinal leakage increased with verteporfin, but resolved after 2 weeks. After combination treatment, CNV was completely occluded on FA within 1 week. ICGA showed non-perfusion of small/medium choroidal vessels. Recovery of choroidal perfusion began after 1 month, but remained impaired throughout follow-up. CONCLUSION: Verteporfin/ranibizumab was associated with CNV occlusion, reduced oedema, improved visual function and retinal sensitivity. The clinical significance of these findings requires further investigation.

    PMID: 19029163 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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    Patient drug information

    • Verteporfin Injection (Visudyne®)

      Verteporfin injection is used in combination with photodynamic therapy (PDT; treatment with a laser light) to treat abnormal growth of leaky blood vessels in the eye caused by wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD; a...

    • Ranibizumab Injection (Lucentis®)

      Ranibizumab is used to treat wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD; an ongoing disease of the eye that causes loss of the ability to see straight ahead and may make it more difficult to read, drive, or perform other ...