SAME-DAY TRIPLE THERAPY WITH PHOTODYNAMIC THERAPY, INTRAVITREAL DEXAMETHASONE, AND BEVACIZUMAB IN WET AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION

Purpose: To report the results of same-day triple therapy with reduced fluence photodynamic therapy, intravitreal dexamethasone, and bevacizumab in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration. Methods: Retrospective case series. Records of patients who received same-day triple therapy with reduced fluence photodynamic therapy (25 J/cm(2)), intravitreal dexamethasone (200 mu g), and intravitreal bevacizumab (1.25 mg) were reviewed. All patients had neovascular subfoveal age-related macular degeneration with at least 1 year of follow-up. Snellen visual acuity (VA), central macular thickness on optical coherence tomography, intraocular pressure, and endophthalmitis occurrence were recorded. Results: The 31 patients were observed for a mean of 13.7 months. In all patients, mean baseline VA was 20/80 and vision at final follow-up was 20/60 (P = 0.69). In patients who received previous treatment for exudative age-related macular degeneration In = 18), mean baseline VA was 201100 and vision at final follow-up (mean, 13.7 months) was 20/100 (P = 0.31). In treatment-naive patients (n = 13), mean baseline VA was 20/60 and vision at final follow-up (mean, 13.5 months) was 20/40 (P = 0.31). In all patients, mean central macular thickness was 293 mu m at baseline and 245 mu m at final follow-up (P = 0.053). In previously treated patients (n = 18), mean central macular thickness was 325 mu m at baseline and 265 [mu m at final follow-up (P = 0.10). In treatment-naive patients, mean central macular thickness was 249 mu m at baseline (n = 13) and 218 mu m at final follow-up (P = 0.34). Previously treated patients required more antivascular endothelial growth factor injections (mean = 3.6) than treatment-naive patients (mean = 0.8), but the mean number of repeat triple therapy treatments was 0.3 in both groups. Changes in intraocular pressure and endophthalmitis were not observed during follow-up. Conclusion: Same-day triple therapy maintained VA and decreased macular thickness in patients with and without previous antivascular endothelial growth factor therapy. Triple therapy may reduce the number of antivascular endothelial growth factor injections in some patients and stabilize vision in some patients not responding to antivascular endothelial growth factor therapy. RETINA 29:573-578, 2009