Burden of illness of bilateral neovascular age-related macular degeneration in Spain

• Published in: Current medical research and opinion Vol. 24; no. 7; pp. 2103 - 2111
• Main Authors: María Ruiz-Moreno, José, María Coco, Rosa, García-Arumí, José, Xu, Xiao, Zlateva, Gergana
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Informa UK Ltd 01.07.2008; Taylor & Francis; Informa Healthcare
• Subjects: Age-related macular degeneration; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Burden of illness; Case-Control Studies; Choroidal neovascularization; Cost of Illness; Female; Health Care Costs; Health resources; Humans; Interviews as Topic; Macular Degeneration - economics; Macular Degeneration - physiopathology; Macular Degeneration - psychology; Male; Middle Aged; Quality of Life; Spain; Visual Acuity; Spain
• ISSN: 0300-7995; 1473-4877
• DOI: 10.1185/03007990802214300

ABSTRACT Background: The burden of illness, including health resource utilization and costs associated with bilateral neovascular age-related macular degeneration (Nv-AMD), was assessed in Spain. Patients and methods: As part of an international prospective, case-controlled study, 89 Spanish patients with bilateral Nv-AMD were recruited by retina specialists and 96 Spanish control subjects were recruited by general practitioners and ophthalmologists. Physicians recorded clinical data and visual acuity (VA). In a subsequent telephone interview, Nv-AMD patients and controls completed the National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI VFQ)-25, the EuroQol (EQ-5D), and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) questionnaire. Annual vision-related and non-vision-related medical costs and non-medical-related costs were calculated from study-specific questions. Results: The mean age was 76.2 years for Nv-AMD patients and 61.9 years for control subjects. The adjusted mean (95% CI) NEI VFQ-25 summary score was 51.9 (48.5; 55.4) for Nv-AMD patients and 87.7 (85.5; 89.9) for control subjects (p < 0.05). The summary score of Nv-AMD patients decreased significantly with VA declination. Mean direct vision-related medical and non-medical-related costs were significantly greater for Nv-AMD patients than the control subjects, whereas non-vision-related medical costs were similar between groups. The total mean annual resource utilization cost was €5733 for Nv-AMD patients compared to €1070 for control subjects (p < 0.0001). Conclusions: Although the study design is subject to a number of limitations, patients with Nv-AMD in Spain have worse quality of life outcomes, greater depression, and higher healthcare costs as compared with similarly-aged individuals who are not affected by this disease.