Optical coherence tomography analysis of a randomized study combining photodynamic therapy with intravitreal triamcinolone

Background: The objective of the study was to analyze optical coherence tomography (OCT) scan differences between patients with predominantly classic subfoveal choroidal neovascularization (CNV) secondary to age-related macular degeneration (AMD) treated with only photodynamic therapy (PDT) and patients treated with PDT combined with intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide (IVTA). Methods: In this prospective study, 61 patients were randomized to receive PDT (n=30) or PDT combined with IVTA (n=31). They were evaluated every 3 months with a refraction protocol for best-corrected visual acuity (VA) measured with Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) charts, fluorescein angiography (FA), and OCT. When measuring foveal thickness on OCT scans, neuroretinal foveal thickness (NFT) was differentiated from outer high reflectivity band thickness (OHRBT). The main outcome measures were mean change in OCT measurements and correlation of VA and angiographic area of the lesion with OCT measurements. Results: At the 12-month follow-up, the mean change in NFT was not significantly reduced (P=0.9), but the mean change in OHRBT was significantly lower (P=0.004) in the group of patients who received combined therapy. There was no correlation between final VA and NFT in either patient group (P=0.2). The final VA was significantly worse in eyes with a thicker OHRBT (P=0.04) in the group of patients treated with only PDT. There was no correlation between angiographic area and NFT and OHRBT in either patient group (P>0.3). There was a statistically significant difference between the pre-treatment angiographic area of the lesion and VA at the 12-month follow-up in the combined therapy group (P=0.01), and more eyes treated with only PDT presented with intraretinal fluid at the last follow-up (P=0.01). Conclusion: Combined PDT+IVTA therapy was more effective than PDT alone at reducing OHRBT. This OCT measurement seems to be have a greater effect on VA than NFT. © Springer-Verlag 2007.