This study is to investigate whether there is an association of the LOC387715/HTRA1 variants with response to treatment with combined photodynamic therapy and intravitreal bevacizumab for patients with polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy.

This is a retrospective cohort study comprised of 70 eyes being treated for polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy with combined photodynamic therapy and intravitreal bevacizumab injections. Patients were genotyped for the LOC387715 (rs10490924) and the HTRA1 gene polymorphism (rs11200638).

Inclusion Criteria:

• patients older than 60 years of age at onset
• polyp-like terminal aneurysmal dilations with or without branching vascular networks in indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) and subretinal reddish-orange protrusions corresponding to polyp-like lesions
• patients who had combined photodynamic therapy and intravitreal bevacizumab injections, and followed up for more than 12 months after the first treatment

Exclusion Criteria:

• patients with retinal or choroidal diseases including pathologic myopia, angioid streaks, idiopathic choroidal neovascularization (CNV), presumed ocular histoplasmosis, and other secondary CNV
• patients who refused genotypic analyses

The authors did a retrospective chart review of 70 patients with PCV who were treated at the Department of Ophthalmology, Kyungpook National University Hospital in Daegu, Korea.