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Sildenafil shown to expand choroidal vessels in patients with AMD

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Researchers found that sildenafil citrate increases choroidal thickness in eyes with both wet and dry age-related macular degeneration.

Vuong and colleagues reported at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology meeting that they evaluated enhanced-depth optical coherence tomography images from 18 eyes of nine adults with neovascular AMD in one eye and non-neovascular AMD in the other, at 1 and 3 hours after oral administration of 100 mg sildenafil citrate.

Mean patient age was 76.2 years. Baseline choroidal thickness was 172.35 mm and 192.62 mm for eyes with non-neovascular and neovascular AMD, respectively.

Choroidal thickness increased by 10.1% in eyes with neovascular AMD at 1 hour and 11.5% at 3 hours after oral sildenafil. Choroidal thickness increased by 6.7% in eyes with non-neovascular AMD and 11.9% at 1 and 3 hours.

Researchers found no significant difference in choroidal thickness measurements between fellow eyes with non-neovascular vs. neovascular AMD after oral sildenafil at any time point.

Furthermore, eyes with reticular pseudodrusen and geographic atrophy showed less choroidal thickening at 3 hours, but number of prior anti-VEGF injections did not impact choroidal response to sildenafil.

OCT-angiography showed up to 37% and 31% increase in choroidal vascular diameter within both Haller’s and Sattler’s layer in eyes with neovascular and non-neovascular AMD, respectively.

The researchers determined that eyes with non-neovascular AMD demonstrate a slower rate of increase, particularly in the presence of reticular pseudodrusen and geographic atrophy, suggesting that reduced choroidal vascular compliance may play a role in the pathogenesis of some forms of AMD, according to a research summary provided to ARVO by the lead author.

Reference:

Vuong VS, et al. Effect of sildenafil citrate on choroidal thickness in age-related macular degeneration. Presented at: Association of Research in Vision and Ophthalmology annual meeting; May 7-11, 2017; Baltimore.

Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.