Quality of life with visual acuity loss from diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the quality of life in patients with visual acuity loss occurring secondary to diabetic retinopathy with visual acuity loss occurring secondary to age-related macular degeneration (ARMD).


METHODS
Consecutive patients with diabetic retinopathy and ARMD were evaluated using the time trade-off method of utility value analysis. Both groups were stratified according to the degree of visual acuity loss in the better-seeing eye (group 1: 20/20-20/25, group 2: 20/30-20/40, group 3: 20/50-20/100, group 4: < or =20/200). Utility values obtained from the patients, once stratified for visual acuity group, were compared with use of the t test and the Mann-Whitney U test. In addition, a 2-way analysis of variance was performed to control for potential confounding variables.


RESULTS
No difference was found between the utility value means of the diabetic retinopathy (n = 333) and ARMD (n = 246) subgroups stratified according to visual acuity levels: group 1, P =.54; group 2, P =.96; group 3, P =.09; and group 4, P =.32. A 2-way analysis of variance demonstrated that, among the variables of ocular disease, sex, age, and visual acuity in the better-seeing eye, only visual acuity was significantly associated with utility values (P =.003).


CONCLUSIONS
At similar levels of visual acuity loss, that associated with diabetic retinopathy causes a similar reduction in quality of life to that associated with ARMD. This information has important implications for use in cost-utility analyses of ophthalmic interventions.
Brown
Melissa M
MM
Center for Evidence-Based Health Care Economics, Suite 210, 1107 Bethlehem Pike, Flourtown, PA 19031, USA. lissa1011@aol.com
Brown
Gary C
GC
Sharma
Sanjay
S
Landy
Jennifer
J
Bakal
Jeff
J
D000368:Aged; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D014792:Visual Acuity