Effect of photodynamic therapy (PDT), posterior subtenon injection of triamcinolone acetonide with PDT, and intravitreal injection of ranibizumab with PDT for retinal angiomatous proliferation

Saya Nakano¹, Shigeru Honda¹, Hideyasu Oh², Mihori Kita², Akira Negi<sup>1

1</sup>Department of Surgery, Division of Ophthalmology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, ²Department of Ophthalmology, Hyogo Prefectural Amagasaki Hospital, Amagasaki, Japan

Background: The purpose of this work was to compare the efficacy of photodynamic therapy (PDT) with or without posterior subtenon injections of triamcinolone acetonide (STA) or intravitreal injections of ranibizumab (IVR) for retinal angiomatous proliferation (RAP).
Methods: Thirty-seven eyes from 33 consecutive patients with RAP were treated by PDT monotherapy (Group 1), PDT combined with STA (Group 2), or PDT combined with IVR (Group 3). The best-corrected visual acuity, greatest linear dimension, central retinal thickness, and number of treatments were compared among the three groups.
Results: The change in mean best-corrected visual acuity (logMAR) at month 3, 6, and 12 after the initial treatment was better in Group 2 (-0.13, -0.23, and -0.21, respectively) and Group 3 (-0.018, 0.0028, and -0.0067, respectively) than in Group 1 (0.13, 0.19, and 0.23, respectively); Group 1 versus Group 2 was statistically significant (P = 0.018). The mean central retinal thickness was reduced from baseline in all groups, but the reduction amplitude was significantly greater in Group 2 than in Group 1 and Group 3. The mean number of treatments was significantly lower in Group 2 (1.1 ± 0.4) and Group 3 (1.5 ± 0.5) than in Group 1 (2.9 ± 0.9) in the 12 months after the initial treatment.
Conclusion: Treatment with STA + PDT may be an effective therapy for RAP lesions over 12 months of follow-up.

Keywords: retinal angiomatous proliferation, photodynamic therapy, triamcinolone acetonide, ranibizumab, combined therapy