Functional and anatomical changes after standard and half dose verteporfin PDT in central serous choroidopathy

Abstract

PurposeTo report the anatomical and functional changes occurring in patients with central serous choroidopathy (CSC) treated by standard or half dose photodynamic therapy (PDT) with verteporfin.MethodsRetrospective, interventional, multicenter study. The clinical files, optical coherence tomography (OCT) and autofluorescence (AF) images of patients with CSC treated by standard or half dose PDT were revised.ResultsA total of 152 patients were identified (111 males). Patient's mean age was 50 years (standard deviation 10, range 30–68) and the average follow‐up was 21 months (SD 12, range 3–54). Mean baseline corrected visual acuity (VA) was 64 ETDRS letters (SD 18, range 2–85) and final VA was 72 letters (SD 16, range 2–85). The average central macular thickness (CMT) determined by automated OCT software at baseline was 293 μm (SD 85, range 115–615) and 221 μm (SD 45, range 41–615) by the end of follow up. Eighty‐two patients were treated by standard, full dose PDT and 70 patients were treated by half dose verteporfin PDT. The average number of required PDT sessions was 1.13 (SD 0.47, range 1–4) for standard PDT vs. 1.30 (SD 0.52, range 1–3) for half dose PDT (p = 0.009; Student's t test for unpaired data). Both groups did not differ in terms of age, previous lapse since diagnosis, baseline VA, final VA, and final CMT (p = 0.72; p = 0.18; p = 0.41; p = 0.30; p = 0.85; Student's t test for unpaired data). However, they differed in terms of basal CMT (mean CMT in the standard PDT group was 320 vs. 262 μm for the half dose group). The PDT laser spot could not be observed in the AF images in any of the groups.ConclusionsAccording to our findings, standard, full dose PDT provides similar visual outcomes as half dose verteporfin PDT with a lower rate of re treatments and no differences in CMT or AF patterns.