Verteporfin infuion-aociated pain

PURPOE: To determine if oral hydration decreae the incidence of verteporfin infuion-aociated pain and to find out if other factor play a role in predipoing to thi undeired complication. METHOD: Nonrandomized clinical trial. We propectively examined 250 conecutive patient who have been diagnoed with ubfoveal choroidal neovacularization econdary to age-related macular degeneration and received photodynamic therapy uing verteporfin. One hundred twenty-five patient were aigned to receive 500 ml of water orally adminitered 30 minute before beginning the verteporfin infuion, and the remaining 125 conecutive patient were ued a control. Hitorical and clinical factor in thee patient were evaluated for their aociation with the preence of verteporfin infuion-aociated pain. REULT: Out of 125 patient receiving water before treatment 12 (9.6%) experienced verteporfin infuion-aociated pain. Among the 125 patient who did not get hydration before therapy 12(9.6%) experienced verteporfin infuion-aociated pain. There wa no tatitical difference between the incidence of pain in the two group (P = 1.0). No tatitically ignificant aociation wa evidenced between the preence of pain and participant’ baeline characteritic, except for pain on previou adminitration of verteporfin (P < .001). Out of 250 total patient 24 (9.6%) developed verteporfin infuion-aociated pain. Back pain wa the mot common and occurred in 21 (8.4%) patient, but other ite included leg, groin, chet, buttock, arm, and houlder pain concurrently or independently. All patient had reolution of their pain, including chet pain, on ceation of the infuion. CONCLUION: Verteporfin infuion-aociated pain may be more common than ha been previouly reported and i not limited to the back area. It appear to be an idioyncratic reaction to the drug. It doe not eem to be prevented by oral hydration before infuion of verteporfin, and no baeline characteritic, other than a hitory of pain on previou infuion, eem to be predictive of verteporfin infuion-aociated pain.