ORIGINAL ARTICLES

Same-day administration of verteporfin and ranibizumab 0.5 mg in patients with choroidal neovascularisation due to age-related macular degeneration

U Schmidt-Erfurth¹, S Wolf² and for the PROTECT Study Group

¹ Department of Ophthalmology, Universitätsklinik für Augenheilkunde und Optometrie, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
² Klinik und Poliklinik für Augenheilkunde, Inselspital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland

Correspondence to:
Professor U Schmidt-Erfurth, Department of Ophthalmology, Universitätsklinik fur Augenheilkunde und Optometrie, University of Vienna, AKH Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, A-1090 Vienna, Austria; ursula.schmidt-erfurth{at}meduniwien.ac.at

Objective: To evaluate safety of same-day administration of verteporfin and ranibizumab.

Methods: Prospective, open-label, multicentre study; patients with predominantly classic (n = 13) or occult (n = 19) choroidal neovascularisation secondary to age-related macular degeneration received standard-fluence verteporfin at baseline and months 3, 6 and 9, based on fluorescein angiography (FA). Ranibizumab 0.5 mg was administered at baseline and months 1, 2 and 3.

Main outcome measure: The incidence of severe vision loss (best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) loss 30 letters; primary safety assessment).

Results: No severe vision loss due to ocular inflammation or uveitis occurred. One patient had moderate vision loss (BCVA loss 15 letters). Three patients had mild/moderate uveitis. Two serious ocular adverse events occurred (retinal pigment epithelial tear and moderate BCVA decrease). No systemic adverse events occurred. At 9 months, all lesions were inactive with no recurrent leakage on FA and optical coherence tomography; macular oedema and subretinal fluid resolved. The mean BCVA measured at 2 m improved by 6.9 letters at 4 months and 2.4 letters at 9 months.

Conclusions/application to clinical practice: Same-day verteporfin and ranibizumab was safe and not associated with severe vision loss or severe ocular inflammation. Lesions stabilized, with minimal treatment required after month 3.

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