CLINICAL OUTCOMES OF THE TREATMENT OF EXUDATIVE AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION WITH PEGAPTANIB

Abstract

Purpose. To evaluate the results of intravitreal use of Pegaptanib in patients with exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Material end methods. Our study includes 77 patients with exudative AMD, who received 9 injections of Pegaptanib 0.3mg with 6-weeks intervals between them. So the primary treatment lasted one year. During and after the treatment these patients underwent fluorescent angiography (FAG), optical coherence tomography (OCT), fundus photography and best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) examination. According to the results of these examinations a decision about a further treatment, whether it was necessary, was taken. Results. By the end of our 2-year study 38 patients after therapy with Pegaptanib had complete obliteration of the choroidal neovascularization (CNV), 19 patients were switched to Ranibizumab, one patient underwent photodynamic therapy with Visudyne, 14 patients had severe progression of AMD, when there was no sense in further treatment, 2 patients dropped out the study because of cerebral insult, 3 patients refused of any further treatment, in spite of persisting exudative activity of the CNV after the primary treatment. Conclusion. Intravitreal аpplication of Pegaptanib is a relatively effective treatment option of exudative AMD as BCVA was stabilized or improved in 55.8% of patients, macular edema decreased in 67.5% of patients and neovascular membrane was obliterated in 49.35% of patients.

Keywords

• age-related macular degeneration
• choroidal neovascularization
• exudative
• pegaptanib
• treatment