Comparison of 3-year outcomes of photodynamic therapy combined with intravitreal ranibizumab or aflibercept for polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy in a European cohort

PURPOSE: Combined use of photodynamic therapy (PDT) with intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factors (anti-VEGF) agents, such as ranibizumab (IVR) or aflibercept (IVA), has been shown to be effective for treating polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV). However, it is currently not well established which anti-VEGF agent provides superior outcomes for performing combination therapy. The present study compares the visual outcomes and re-treatment burden of combination therapy of PDT with either IVR or IVA in a European cohort of patients with PCV. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was done on PCV patients who had received combination therapy of PDT with either IVR or IVA. The demographic characteristics, visual outcome, and anti-VEGF re-treatment exposures were analysed and compared. RESULTS: A total of forty-four eyes (n = 11 male, 25%) were included in the analysis: 7 patients received IVR, 19 started with IVR but switched to IVA (IVS), and 18 received IVA, in combination with PDT. The BCVA improved in all three groups at 6-, 12-, 18-, 24-, 30-, and 36-month follow-ups after PDT, although the improvement was not statistically significant in the IVR group. The number of intravitreal anti-VEGF injections required/year after PDT was significantly fewer than before PDT. Significantly less eyes in the IVS group attained a good visual acuity of more than 70 ETDRS letters at the final visit. CONCLUSION: Both IVR and IVA combined with PDT were effective treatments for the European cohort of patients with PCV. In eyes refractory to IVR, performing PDT promptly may be more beneficial than switching to IVA.