gms | German Medical Science

102. Jahrestagung der DOG

Deutsche Ophthalmologische Gesellschaft e. V.

23. bis 26.09.2004, Berlin

Therapeutical perspectives of exsudative AMD: PDT combinations and anti-angiogenetic approaches

Meeting Abstract

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Evidenzbasierte Medizin - Anspruch und Wirklichkeit. 102. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Ophthalmologischen Gesellschaft. Berlin, 23.-26.09.2004. Düsseldorf, Köln: German Medical Science; 2004. Doc04dogSA.08.10

The electronic version of this article is the complete one and can be found online at: http://www.egms.de/en/meetings/dog2004/04dog357.shtml

Published: September 22, 2004

© 2004 Pauleikhoff.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/deed.en). You are free: to Share – to copy, distribute and transmit the work, provided the original author and source are credited.


Outline

Text

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a standard therapy for different manifestations of exudative AMD. But still several patients experience despite PDT further growth of the choroidal neovascularisation (CNV) and visual loss. Therefore approaches to increase the effectivness of PDT due to the combination with triamcinolon as well as new antiangiogenetic treatments are under investigation.

The combination of PDT with triamcinolon (4 mg) applicated intraocular directly after the PDT is thought to reduce the angiogentic stimulus induced by the local inflammation after PDT. In several pilot studies it could be demonstrated that the combination of PDT with triamcinolon can reduce the number of PDT treatments to get a scarring of the CNV, but if this also can result in a better visual outcome is still open. Furthermore in several clinical studies the closure of CNV by the repeated intraocular application (every 6 weeks) of antibodies against the CNV inducing vascular endothelium growth factor (VEGF, 2 antobodies: Macugen, Lucentis) as well as by the retrobulbar application (every 6 mo) of an antiangiogenic steroid (Retaane) could be demonstrated. The results of clinical studies available showed a similiar therapeutic efficacy compared to PDT. If the combination of PDT with antiangiogenic active drugs will increase the visual results in the treatment of exudative AMD is still a hope.