Macular Degeneration: Wenkstern A

Azab M, Boyer DS, Bressler NM, Bressler SB, Cihelkova I, Hao Y, Immonen I, Lim JI, Menchini U, Naor J, Potter MJ, Reaves A, Rosenfeld PJ, Slakter JS, Soucek P, Strong HA, Wenkstern A, Su XY, Yang YC, Anonymous00313. · No affiliation provided · Arch Ophthalmol. · Pubmed #15824216 No free full text.

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To compare the treatment effect and safety of photodynamic therapy with verteporfin using a standard (SF) or reduced (RF) light fluence rate with that of placebo therapy in patients with subfoveal minimally classic choroidal neovascularization (CNV) with age-related macular degeneration. DESIGN: Phase 2, multicenter, double-masked, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial. SETTING: Nineteen ophthalmology practices in North America and Europe. PARTICIPANTS: Patients with initial best-corrected visual acuity of at least 20/250 and a lesion size of no greater than 6 Macular Photocoagulation Study (MPS) disc areas. METHODS: We randomly assigned 117 patients (1:1:1) to verteporfin infusion (6 mg/m(2)) and light application with an RF rate (300 mW/cm(2)) for 83 seconds (light dose of 25 J/cm(2)) or an SF rate (600 mW/cm(2)) for 83 seconds (light dose of 50 J/cm(2)) or to placebo infusion with RF or SF. Treatment was repeated every 3 months if the treating physician noted fluorescein leakage from CNV on angiography. Patients in whom a predominantly classic lesion developed could receive open-label standard verteporfin treatment. Best-corrected visual acuity was measured every 3 months, and angiographic changes were assessed by the Photograph Reading Center through the 3-month examination unless an ocular adverse event or conversion to a predominantly classic lesion was identified by an investigator. Safety was assessed throughout the study. All outcomes were on an intent-to-treat basis. RESULTS: One hundred three (88%) of 117 patients completed the 24-month examination. Twelve (30%) of 40 patients assigned to placebo received open-label standard verteporfin treatment after confirmation of presence of predominantly classic CNV. At month 12, a loss of at least 3 lines of visual acuity occurred in 5 (14%) of 36 eyes assigned to RF and 10 (28%) of 36 eyes assigned to SF, compared with 18 (47%) of 38 eyes assigned to placebo (RF, P = .002; SF, P = .08; RF + SF, P = .004). At month 24, this loss occurred in 9 (26%) of 34 eyes assigned to RF and 17 (53%) of 32 assigned to SF, compared with 23 (62%) of 37 eyes assigned to placebo (RF, P = .003; SF, P = .45; RF + SF, P = .03). Progression to predominantly classic CNV by 24 months was more common in the placebo group (11 [28%] of 39 patients compared with 2 [5%] of 38 in the RF group [P = .007] and 1 [3%] of 37 in the SF group [P = .002]). No unexpected ocular or systemic adverse events were identified. Treatment-related, usually transient visual disturbances were 13% with SF, 10% with placebo, and 5% with RF. CONCLUSIONS: Verteporfin therapy safely reduced the risks of losing at least 15 letters (> or =3 lines) of visual acuity and progression to predominantly classic CNV for at least 2 years in individuals with subfoveal minimally classic lesions due to age-related macular degeneration measuring 6 MPS disc areas or less. Based on the overall evidence available on verteporfin therapy for these lesions, the VIM Study Group would consider recommending verteporfin therapy for relatively small minimally classic lesions similar to those enrolled in the VIM Trial.

Barbazetto I, Burdan A, Bressler NM, Bressler SB, Haynes L, Kapetanios AD, Lukas J, Olsen K, Potter M, Reaves A, Rosenfeld P, Schachat AP, Strong HA, Wenkstern A, Anonymous00097, Anonymous00098. · Medizinische Universität zu Lübeck, Klinik für Augenheilkunde, Lübeck, Germany. · Arch Ophthalmol. · Pubmed #12963608 No free full text.

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To describe fluorescein angiographic guidelines for the use of verteporfin therapy in patients with subfoveal choroidal neovascularization (CNV) secondary to age-related macular degeneration (AMD) or other conditions based on 2-year vision outcomes from the Treatment of Age-Related Macular Degeneration With Photodynamic Therapy (TAP) Investigation and Verteporfin in Photodynamic Therapy (VIP) Trial. METHODS: Three multicenter, double-masked, placebo-controlled randomized clinical trials at 28 ophthalmology clinical centers in Europe and North America involving prospectively identified patients with best-corrected visual acuity (Snellen equivalent) of approximately 20/20 to 20/200, subfoveal CNV secondary to AMD or pathologic myopia with evidence of CNV, and a lesion greatest linear dimension of 5400 micro m or less. Fluorescein angiography was to be performed on all patients at enrollment and at regular 3-month follow-up visits through 2 years. The initial treatment laser spot size and all subsequent treatment decisions were based on the investigator's interpretation of these fluorescein angiograms. Photographic materials forwarded to the Wilmer Photograph Reading Center were reviewed by masked graders. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Baseline angiographic features, including lesion composition and size, morphologic response to treatment during follow-up (eg, absence of leakage), and reliability (kappa values) of grading selected characteristics based on a 10% regrading of baseline visits. RESULTS: Terms and examples of different lesions and lesion components are provided to assist recognition of fluorescein angiographic characteristics of choroidal neovascular lesions that were important in determining when and where to apply verteporfin therapy. The kappa statistics for agreement of identification of lesion characteristics by the Wilmer Photograph Reading Center for these trials ranged from 0.70 to 0.85. CONCLUSIONS: Ophthalmologists should consider interpreting fluorescein angiographic images of subfoveal lesions with terms provided to follow recommendations regarding which patients are most likely to benefit from verteporfin therapy based on results from the TAP Investigation and VIP Trial.

Wenkstern A, Stokes J. · No affiliation provided · Age Ageing. · Pubmed #12720631 links to  free full text

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