Crossover to Photodynamic Therapy or Micropulse Laser After Failure of Primary Treatment of Chronic Central Serous Chorioretinopathy: The REPLACE Trial

Am J Ophthalmol. 2020 Aug:216:80-89. doi: 10.1016/j.ajo.2020.04.007. Epub 2020 Apr 11.

Abstract

Purpose: To assess whether chronic central serous chorioretinopathy (cCSC) patients without a complete resolution of subretinal fluid (SRF) after either half-dose photodynamic therapy (PDT) or high-density subthreshold micropulse laser (HSML) treatment may benefit from crossover treatment.

Design: Multicenter prospective interventional case series.

Methods: cCSC patients with persistent SRF at the final visit of the PLACE trial were included. Patients received crossover treatment with either half-dose PDT or HSML.

Results: Thirty-two patients received PDT and 10 patients received HSML. At the first evaluation visit (6-8 weeks after treatment), 81% of patients in the PDT group had complete resolution of SRF, while none of the HSML-treated patients had complete resolution of SRF. At final visit (1 year after baseline), 78% (P = .030) and 67% (P = .109) of the patients, respectively, had a complete resolution of SRF. The mean retinal sensitivity in the PDT group increased from 21.7 dB (standard error [SE]: 0.9) to 23.4 dB (SE: 0.8) at evaluation visit 1 (P = .003), to 24.7dB (SE: 0.8) at final visit (P < .001), while there were no significant changes in the HSML group (23.7 dB [SE: 1.6] at baseline, 23.8 dB [SE: 1.4] at evaluation 1, and 23.3 dB [SE: 1.4] at final visit). The mean visual acuity and mean visual quality-of-life questionnaire score did not change significantly in both groups.

Conclusions: Crossover to half-dose PDT after previous unsuccessful HSML treatment for cCSC may lead to improved anatomic and functional endpoints, while crossover to HSML after half-dose PDT does not seem to significantly affect these endpoints.

Publication types

  • Multicenter Study
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Central Serous Chorioretinopathy / drug therapy
  • Central Serous Chorioretinopathy / physiopathology
  • Central Serous Chorioretinopathy / surgery
  • Central Serous Chorioretinopathy / therapy*
  • Chronic Disease
  • Coloring Agents / administration & dosage
  • Cross-Over Studies
  • Double-Blind Method
  • Female
  • Fluorescein Angiography
  • Humans
  • Indocyanine Green / administration & dosage
  • Lasers, Semiconductor / therapeutic use
  • Light Coagulation / methods*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Photochemotherapy / methods*
  • Photosensitizing Agents / therapeutic use
  • Prospective Studies
  • Quality of Life / psychology
  • Sickness Impact Profile
  • Subretinal Fluid
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Tomography, Optical Coherence
  • Treatment Failure
  • Visual Acuity / physiology*

Substances

  • Coloring Agents
  • Photosensitizing Agents
  • Indocyanine Green