Skip to main content
NCBI home page
The British Journal of Ophthalmology logoLink to The British Journal of Ophthalmology
. 1994 Oct;78(10):749–753. doi: 10.1136/bjo.78.10.749

Interferon alfa-2a modifies the course of subfoveal and juxtafoveal choroidal neovascularisation.

C Engler 1, B Sander 1, J Villumsen 1, H Lund-Andersen 1
PMCID: PMC504927  PMID: 7528534

Abstract

The first double masked placebo controlled trial of interferon alfa-2a for the treatment of overt choroidal neovascular membranes is presented. A total of 43 consecutive patients were randomised to double masked treatment with either interferon alfa-2a, 3 million IU subcutaneously three times a week or matching placebo, for a period of 8 weeks. End of study changes from baseline in distance and near visual acuity, macular visual field, contrast sensitivity, and macular morphology (fluorescein angiography) were assessed. The between group difference in distance visual acuity, the primary efficacy variable, was significant in favour of interferon alfa-2a (p = 0.023). Fluorescein angiograms, macular visual fields, and near vision all showed a trend in favour of interferon alfa-2a. It was concluded that, at the dosage used in this study, interferon alfa-2a is a reasonably well tolerated and apparently effective short term treatment of subfoveal and juxtafoveal choroidal neovascularisations.

Full text

PDF
749

Images in this article

751Image
on p.751

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Baron S., Tyring S. K., Fleischmann W. R., Jr, Coppenhaver D. H., Niesel D. W., Klimpel G. R., Stanton G. J., Hughes T. K. The interferons. Mechanisms of action and clinical applications. JAMA. 1991 Sep 11;266(10):1375–1383. doi: 10.1001/jama.266.10.1375. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Berkow J. W. Subretinal neovascularization in senile macular degeneration. Am J Ophthalmol. 1984 Feb;97(2):143–147. doi: 10.1016/s0002-9394(14)76083-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Bressler N. M., Bressler S. B., Fine S. L. Age-related macular degeneration. Surv Ophthalmol. 1988 May-Jun;32(6):375–413. doi: 10.1016/0039-6257(88)90052-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Coscas G., Soubrane G. Indications, techniques et résultats de la photocoagulation au laser à argon des néovaissseaux sous-rétiniens maculaires. J Fr Ophtalmol. 1984;7(2):99–105. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Ebert E. M., Fine A. M., Markowitz J., Maguire M. G., Starr J. S., Fine S. L. Functional vision in patients with neovascular maculopathy and poor visual acuity. Arch Ophthalmol. 1986 Jul;104(7):1009–1012. doi: 10.1001/archopht.1986.01050190067041. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Engler C. B., Sander B., Koefoed P., Larsen M., Vinding T., Lund-Andersen H. Interferon alpha-2a treatment of patients with subfoveal neovascular macular degeneration. A pilot investigation. Acta Ophthalmol (Copenh) 1993 Feb;71(1):27–31. doi: 10.1111/j.1755-3768.1993.tb04955.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Ezekowitz R. A., Mulliken J. B., Folkman J. Interferon alfa-2a therapy for life-threatening hemangiomas of infancy. N Engl J Med. 1992 May 28;326(22):1456–1463. doi: 10.1056/NEJM199205283262203. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Fung W. E. Interferon alpha 2a for treatment of age-related macular degeneration. Am J Ophthalmol. 1991 Sep 15;112(3):349–350. doi: 10.1016/s0002-9394(14)76743-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Guyer D. R., Tiedeman J., Yannuzzi L. A., Slakter J. S., Parke D., Kelley J., Tang R. A., Marmor M., Abrams G., Miller J. W. Interferon-associated retinopathy. Arch Ophthalmol. 1993 Mar;111(3):350–356. doi: 10.1001/archopht.1993.01090030068041. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Schweigerer L. Anti-angiogenesis as a new concept for the therapy of neovascular diseases. Klin Wochenschr. 1991 Jul 22;69(10):417–418. doi: 10.1007/BF01666825. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Soubrane G., Coscas G., Baudouin C., Koenig F. Etude randomisée de la photocogulation au laser à argon bleu-vert dans la néo-vascularisation sous-rétinienne de la dégénérescence maculaire sénile. Résultats à 5 ans. Bull Soc Ophtalmol Fr. 1987 Feb;87(2):249–250. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Soubrane G., Coscas G., Français C., Koenig F. Occult subretinal new vessels in age-related macular degeneration. Natural History and early laser treatment. Ophthalmology. 1990 May;97(5):649–657. doi: 10.1016/s0161-6420(90)32530-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Thomas M. A., Ibanez H. E. Interferon alfa-2a in the treatment of subfoveal choroidal neovascularization. Am J Ophthalmol. 1993 May 15;115(5):563–568. doi: 10.1016/s0002-9394(14)71451-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Vinding T. Occurrence of drusen, pigmentary changes and exudative changes in the macula with reference to age-related macular degeneration. An epidemiological study of 1000 aged individuals. Acta Ophthalmol (Copenh) 1990 Aug;68(4):410–414. doi: 10.1111/j.1755-3768.1990.tb01668.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. White C. W., Wolf S. J., Korones D. N., Sondheimer H. M., Tosi M. F., Yu A. Treatment of childhood angiomatous diseases with recombinant interferon alfa-2a. J Pediatr. 1991 Jan;118(1):59–66. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3476(05)81844-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Young R. W. Pathophysiology of age-related macular degeneration. Surv Ophthalmol. 1987 Mar-Apr;31(5):291–306. doi: 10.1016/0039-6257(87)90115-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from The British Journal of Ophthalmology are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES