Patients' perceptions of the value of current vision: assessment of preference values among patients with subfoveal choroidal neovascularization--The Submacular Surgery Trials Vision Preference Value Scale: SST Report No. 6

Visual Impairment in Hemodialyzed Patients-An IVIS Study

Background and Objectives: The growing and aging population of hemodialysis patients has become increasingly disabled, with more complex comorbidities, and are older upon initiating dialysis. Visual impairment can adversely affect their quality of life and life satisfaction. Treatment evaluation should not only consider remission of the disease, but also the improvement of quality of life and life satisfaction. This is a single-center cross-sectional study. It was designed to evaluate visual impairment in hemodialyzed patients, its correlation with quality of life and life satisfaction, and its relationship to clinical outcomes in hemodialyzed patients. Materials and Methods: Seventy patients with chronic kidney disease undergoing hemodialysis and aged 18 years or older were recruited from a single Dialysis Unit. The Impact of Visual Impairment Scale (IVIS), WHOQOL-BREF, and Cantril Ladder questionnaires were utilized to assess both sociodemographic and clinical variables. Results: It was found that, among all assessed variables (i.e., sex, marital status, level of education, months on hemodialysis, history of kidney transplantation, Kt/V, URR, and UF), only age and central venous catheter placement were positively correlated with IVIS scores, while arteriovenous fistula and willingness to become a kidney transplant recipient were negatively correlated. Furthermore, a comparison between patients with moderate and severe visual impairment yielded supplemental data indicating that individuals whose dialysis access was through a dialysis catheter and those ineligible or unwilling to undergo transplantation suffered more often from severe visual impairment. This finding may be attributed to age. Conclusions: Older patients were predominantly observed to experience visual impairment. Patients intending to receive a kidney transplant and whose dialysis access was through an arteriovenous fistula were less prone to visual impairment, compared to those who may be ineligible or unwilling to receive transplantation and those with hemodialysis catheters. This phenomenon can be attributed to age-related distinctions in patients' suitability for specific dialysis access and transplantation. Those reporting visual impairment gave lower ratings in all four domains of their quality of life (comprising physical health, psychological health, social relationships, and environment) and in both present and anticipated five-year life satisfaction. More severe visual impairment was related to an additional reduction in physical health, social relationship, and environment domains, and in life satisfaction.

The use of patient-reported outcome research in modern ophthalmology: impact on clinical trials and routine clinical practice

This review article considers the rising demand for patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) in modern ophthalmic research and clinical practice. We review what PROMs are, how they are developed and chosen for use, and how their quality can be critically appraised. We outline the progress made to develop PROMs in each clinical subspecialty. We highlight recent examples of the use of PROMs as secondary outcome measures in randomized controlled clinical trials and consider the impact they have had. With increasing interest in using PROMs as primary outcome measures, particularly where interventions have been found to be of equivalent efficacy by traditional outcome metrics, we highlight the importance of instrument precision in permitting smaller sample sizes to be recruited. Our review finds that while there has been considerable progress in PROM development, particularly in cataract, glaucoma, medical retina, and low vision, there is a paucity of useful tools for less common ophthalmic conditions. Development and validation of item banks, administered using computer adaptive testing, has been proposed as a solution to overcome many of the traditional limitations of PROMs, but further work will be needed to examine their acceptability to patients, clinicians, and investigators.

Vision Preference Value Scale and Patient Preferences in Choosing Therapy for Symptomatic Vitreomacular Interface Abnormality

Importance

While symptomatic vitreomacular interface abnormalities (VIAs) are common, assessment of vision preference values and treatment preferences of these may guide treatment recommendations by physicians and influence third-party payers.

Objective

To determine preference values that individuals with VIA assign to their visual state and preferences of potential treatments.

Design, Setting, and Participants

In this cross-sectional one-time questionnaire study conducted between December 2015 and January 2017, 213 patients from tertiary care referral centers in Thailand, the United Kingdom, and the United States were studied. Patients with symptomatic VIA diagnosed within 1 year of data collection, visual acuity less than 20/20 OU, and symptoms ascribed to VIAs were included. Data were analyzed from January 2017 to November 2017.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The primary end points were overall mean preference value that individuals with VIA assigned to their visual state and patients' preferences for potential treatments. Preference values were graded on a scale from 0 to 1, with 0 indicating death and 1 indicating perfect health with perfect vision.

Results

Of the 213 included patients, 139 (65.3%) were women, and the mean (SD) age was 65.6 (7.7) years. Diagnoses included epiretinal membrane (n = 100 [46.9%]), macular hole (n = 99 [46.5%]), and vitreomacular traction (n = 14 [6.6%]). The mean (SD) vision preference value was 0.76 (0.15), without differences identified among the 3 VIA types. More participants were enthusiastic about vitrectomy (150 [71.1%]) compared with intravitreal injection (120 [56.9%]) (difference, 14.2%; 95% CI, 5.16-23.3; P = .002). Adjusted analyses showed enthusiasm for vitrectomy was associated with fellow eye visual acuity (odds ratio, 10.99; 95% CI, 2.01-59.97; P = .006) and better-seeing eye visual acuity (odds ratio, 0.03; 95% CI, 0.001-0.66; P = .03). Overall enthusiasm for treatment was associated with fellow eye visual acuity (odds ratio, 7.22; 95% CI, 1.29-40.40; P = .02). Overall, most participants (171 [81.0%]) were enthusiastic about surgery, injection, or both.

Conclusions and Relevance

Study participants reported similar preference values among 3 types of VIAs. The data suggest that most patients with these conditions would be enthusiastic about undergoing vitrectomy or an injection to treat it, likely because of the condition's effect on visual functioning, although there may be a slight preference for vitrectomy at this time.

A Discussion of Commercially Available Intra-ocular Telescopic Implants for Patients with Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of visual impairment in the western world, causing significant reduction in quality of life. Despite treatment advances, the burden of visual impairment caused by AMD continues to rise. In addition to traditional low vision rehabilitation and support, optical and electronic aids, and strategies to enhance the use of peripheral vision, implantable telescopic devices have been indicated as a surgical means of enhancing vision. Here we examine the literature on commercially available telescopic devices discussing their design, mode of action, surgical procedure and published outcomes on visual acuity, quality of life, surgical complication rates and cost effectiveness data where available.Funding Article processing charges were funded by VisionCare Inc.

Vision in high-level football officials

Officiating in football depends, at least to some extent, upon adequate visual function. However, there is no vision standard for football officiating and the nature of the relationship between officiating performance and level of vision is unknown. As a first step in characterising this relationship, we report on the clinically-measured vision and on the perceived level of vision in elite-level, Portuguese football officials. Seventy-one referees (R) and assistant referees (AR) participated in the study, representing 92% of the total population of elite level football officials in Portugal in the 2013/2014 season. Nine of the 22 Rs (40.9%) and ten of the 49 ARs (20.4%) were international-level. Information about visual history was also gathered. Perceived vision was assessed using the preference-values-assigned-to-global-visual-status (PVVS) and the Quality-of-Vision (QoV) questionnaire. Standard clinical vision measures (including visual acuity, contrast sensitivity and stereopsis) were gathered in a subset (n = 44, 62%) of the participants. Data were analysed according to the type (R/AR) and level (international/national) of official, and Bonferroni corrections were applied to reduce the risk of type I errors. Adopting criterion for statistical significance of p<0.01, PVVS scores did not differ between R and AR (p = 0.88), or between national- and international-level officials (p = 0.66). Similarly, QoV scores did not differ between R and AR in frequency (p = 0.50), severity (p = 0.71) or bothersomeness (p = 0.81) of symptoms, or between international-level vs national-level officials for frequency (p = 0.03) or bothersomeness (p = 0.07) of symptoms. However, international-level officials reported less severe symptoms than their national-level counterparts (p<0.01). Overall, 18.3% of officials had either never had an eye examination or if they had, it was more than 3 years previously. Regarding refractive correction, 4.2% had undergone refractive surgery and 23.9% wear contact lenses when officiating. Clinical vision measures in the football officials were similar to published normative values for young, adult populations and similar between R and AR. Clinically-measured vision did not differ according to officiating level. Visual acuity measured with and without a pinhole disc indicated that around one quarter of participants may be capable of better vision when officiating, as evidenced by better acuity (≥1 line of letters) using the pinhole. Amongst the clinical visual tests we used, we did not find evidence for above-average performance in elite-level football officials. Although the impact of uncorrected mild to moderate refractive error upon officiating performance is unknown, with a greater uptake of eye examinations, visual acuity may be improved in around a quarter of officials.

How does age-related macular degeneration affect real-world visual ability and quality of life? A systematic review

OBJECTIVES

To review systematically the evidence of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) affecting real-world visual ability and quality of life (QoL). To explore trends in specific topics within this body of the literature.

DESIGN

Systematic review.

METHODS

A systematic literature search was carried out using MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, PsychARTICLES and Health and Psychosocial Instruments for articles published up to January 2015 for studies including people diagnosed with AMD, assessing real-world visual ability or QoL as an outcome. Two researchers screened studies for eligibility. Details of eligible studies including study design, characteristics of study population and outcomes measured were recorded in a data extraction table. All included studies underwent quality appraisal using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool 2011 Version (MMAT).

RESULTS

From 5284 studies, 123 were eligible for inclusion. A range of approaches were identified, including performance-based methods, quantitative and qualitative patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs). AMD negatively affects tasks including mobility, face recognition, perception of scenes, computer use, meal preparation, shopping, cleaning, watching TV, reading, driving and, in some cases, self-care. There is evidence for higher rates of depression among people with AMD than among community dwelling elderly. A number of adaptation strategies have been associated with AMD of varying duration. Much of the research fails to report the type of AMD studied (59% of included studies) or the duration of disease in participants (74%). Of those that do report type studied, the breakdown is as follows: wet AMD 20%, dry AMD 4% and both types 17%.

CONCLUSIONS

There are many publications highlighting the negative effects of AMD in various domains of life. Future research should focus on delivering some of this research knowledge into patient management and clinical trials and differentiating between the types of AMD.

The utility of visual function questionnaire in the assessment of the impact of diabetic retinopathy on vision-related quality of life

AIMS

To determine whether the Visual Function Questionnaire-25 (VFQ) is a more accurate instrument for assessing vision related quality of life (VRQOL) than visual acuity (VA) in patients with diabetic retinopathy. To compare VRQOL between patients with non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) and proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR).

METHODS

We administered the VFQ and Vision Preference Value Scale (VPVS) to 104 patients. With VPVS as the gold standard in our study, we used Pearson's correlation and multiple linear regression analysis to assess whether VFQ is a more accurate measure of VRQOL than VA. Spearman correlation coefficients were used to assess which VFQ subscales correlated strongly with VPVS. Patients with NPDR and PDR were compared using VFQ.

RESULTS

The Pearson's correlation coefficient between VPVS and VFQ was 0.49 (P<0.01) and between VPVS and VA was 0.33 (P<0.01). In multivariable linear models, VFQ explained a higher proportion of the variance in VPVS than VA. The VFQ subscales with the strongest Spearman coefficients to VPVS scores were role differences, near activities, distance activities, mental function and dependence. In these subscales, patients with PDR vsNPDR suffered a 25-30 point loss (100-point scale).

CONCLUSIONS

VFQ is a superior measure of VRQOL for patients with diabetic retinopathy because it better captures mental and emotional aspects of the disease as well as visual function. Subjects with PDR vsNPDR suffer significant loss of VRQOL.

Evaluation of minimum clinically meaningful changes in scores on the National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI-VFQ) SST Report Number 19

PURPOSE

To evaluate responsiveness of the National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI-VFQ) to changes in visual acuity and to provide estimates of minimum clinically meaningful changes in NEI-VFQ scores.

METHODS

Data were combined from three clinical trials of submacular surgery for subfoveal choroidal neovascularization. Patients who completed NEI-VFQ interviews and visual acuity measurements at baseline and 2 years later contributed data for analysis. Data were analyzed using anchor-based (relating 2-year change in NEI-VFQ to 2-year change in visual acuity using correlation and linear regression) and distribution-based (standardized response mean) methods.

RESULTS

Of 1,015 patients enrolled, 828 patients completed NEI-VFQ interviews and had visual acuity measurements at baseline and 2 years later. Median age of patients was 75 years (range 18 to 94); all patients had subfoveal choroidal neovascularization in at least one eye. Median overall NEI-VFQ score at baseline was 69.9 (mean, 66.5). Based on anchor-based methods, a 2-line change in visual acuity of the better-seeing eye translated to a 3.4-point change in the overall NEI-VFQ score and from 2.4-point to 7.0-point changes in most subscale scores. The NEI-VFQ was sensitive to both gains and losses in visual acuity; the standardized response mean for the overall NEI-VFQ score in patients with a 2-line gain was 0.6 and for patients with 2-line loss was -0.3. In the subgroup of patients with a 2-line loss of visual acuity in the better-seeing eye, patients who had overall NEI-VFQ scores at baseline greater than the median (59.8) had an standardized response mean of -0.9 for the overall NEI-VFQ score and patients who had overall NEI-VFQ scores at baseline at or below the median had a standardized response mean of 0.2 for the overall NEI-VFQ score. A 4-point change in the overall NEI-VFQ and a 5-point change in individual subscale scores corresponded to a small clinically meaningful change.

CONCLUSIONS

The NEI-VFQ was responsive to 2-year changes in visual acuity but was less responsive to changes among patients with poorer NEI-VFQ scores at baseline. Based on this analysis, a 4-point change in the overall NEI-VFQ and a 5-point change in individual subscale scores may be considered minimum clinically meaningful within-person changes in NEI-VFQ scores.

Patients' preferences in choosing therapy for retinal vein occlusions

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to assess preference values for vein occlusions with macular edema and to determine how this may affect patient perceptions of potential treatments.

METHODS

The Submacular Surgery Trials Vision Preference Value Scale and questions regarding enthusiasm for potential treatments were administered to 153 patients with vein occlusion. Univariate analyses identified predictors of preference values, followed by adjustment for potential confounders using multivariate linear regression. Relationships between preference values and enthusiasm for potential treatments were assessed.

RESULTS

The mean preference values +/- SD were similar for patients with branch vein occlusions and central vein occlusions (0.65 +/- 0.20). Lower preference values were associated with duration of occlusion of >2 years (P=0.03) and poorer last-recorded visual acuity (P=0.02). Approximately one half of patients were moderately or very enthusiastic about undergoing intravitreal injection. Sixty-nine percent of branch vein occlusion patients were moderately or very enthusiastic about the standard of care, laser photocoagulation; only one third of central vein occlusion patients were moderately or very enthusiastic about standard observation.

CONCLUSIONS

These data suggest that vein occlusion with macular edema has a significant impact on quality of life. Most patients were willing to undergo potentially invasive treatment.

Surgical treatment of age-related macular degeneration: will there be a role in the future?

Surgical treatment has been shown to be able to improve vision that is lost as a result of age-related macular degeneration. Surgery is complex, such that improvement has always to be weighed against risk of complications. The availability of Ranibizumab and Bevacizumab is set to dramatically alter our management options. Surgical treatment will have a limited role to play in the next few years.

Economic evaluation of treatment administration strategies of ganciclovir for cytomegalovirus retinitis in HIV/AIDS patients in Thailand: a simulation study

BACKGROUND

There are many effective interventions, via various routes (intravenous [IV], oral [OR], intravitreal injection [IVT] and intraocular implantation [IMP]), for treating cytomegalovirus retinitis (CMVR) that have become available. There are large variations in treating CMVR in clinical practice in Thailand.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of providing (i) IVT, (ii) IV/OR and (iii) IMP ganciclovir to patients with HIV/AIDS and CMVR versus providing no treatment.

DESIGN

A simulation study for which the input parameters were derived from a systematic review of the literature, a hospital-based survey and patient interviews.

SETTING

The analysis assumed a Thai healthcare system perspective. However, the model was run using both societal and healthcare provider perspectives.

RESULTS

Our results suggest that IVT ganciclovir was cost effective and the best option for treating patients with CMVR irrespective of whether patients received antiretroviral treatment (ART). In patients receiving ART, moving from IVT to IV/OR ganciclovir was also likely to be a cost-effective option. Offering IMP ganciclovir was not likely to be cost effective. Providing treatments for patients with bilateral CMVR was more cost effective than providing treatments for those with unilateral CMVR, and offering treatments for patients receiving ART was better value for money than treating patients without ART.

CONCLUSIONS

Our models suggest that IV/OR ganciclovir should be recommended for the treatment of unilateral and bilateral CMVR for patients receiving ART in the Thai healthcare system. IVT ganciclovir may also have a role in the treatment of CMVR patients not receiving ART.

Health- and vision-related quality of life among patients with ocular histoplasmosis or idiopathic choroidal neovascularization at enrollment in a randomized trial of submacular surgery: Submacular Surgery Trials Report No. 5

OBJECTIVES

To (1) summarize vision-targeted and general health-related quality-of-life scores at baseline and quantify the effect of the ophthalmic problem, (2) evaluate the strength of relations between visual acuity and interview scores, and (3) compare scores for patients who also had choroidal neovascular lesions in the fellow eye (bilateral cases) with those of patients who had choroidal neovascularization in only the study eye (unilateral cases) at time of enrollment in a randomized trial of surgical removal of subfoveal choroidal neovascularization, either associated with the ocular histoplasmosis syndrome or of idiopathic origin.

DESIGN

Eligible patients had subfoveal choroidal neovascularization (including some classic choroidal neovascularization) and a visual acuity of 20/50 to 20/800 (Snellen equivalent), inclusive, in the eye to be assigned randomly to surgery or observation. Interviews that incorporated the 39-item version of the National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI-VFQ) and 2 other instruments were conducted by telephone by trained interviewers before patients enrolled and were assigned randomly to surgery or observation. Information from baseline clinical examinations and fluorescein angiograms interpreted centrally by masked readers was used to classify patients as unilateral or bilateral cases and to provide potential explanations for variability of interview responses using linear regression models.

RESULTS

The median overall NEI-VFQ score was 75 (interquartile range, 60-84). The median scores on individual subscales ranged from 55 (general vision) to 100 (color vision). The visual acuity of the better-seeing eye accounted for much of the variability in scores on most NEI-VFQ subscales; a 3-line difference in visual acuity was associated with a 10-point or greater difference in scores on 5 subscales after adjustment for other characteristics of patients and eyes. Scores on most scales of all 3 instruments differed between unilateral cases (n = 167) and bilateral cases (n = 58). Even after adjustment for visual acuity and reading speed of the better-seeing eye, age, gender, and scores on the other instruments, scores on the NEI-VFQ near and distance activities subscales differed by almost 13 and 10 points, respectively, between unilateral and bilateral cases. Neither age nor gender was an important independent explanatory variable for NEI-VFQ scores.

CONCLUSIONS

Unilateral and bilateral cases had vision-targeted health-related quality-of-life scores worse than those published for a reference population without eye disease. Furthermore, despite younger age, better visual acuity, and better short-term visual prognosis, bilateral cases had NEI-VFQ scores at baseline similar to those published for 2 groups of patients with age-related macular degeneration. Unidentified factors, in addition to the visual acuity of the better-seeing eye, affected patients' perceptions of visual function.

Surgical removal vs observation for subfoveal choroidal neovascularization, either associated with the ocular histoplasmosis syndrome or idiopathic: II. Quality-of-life findings from a randomized clinical trial: SST Group H Trial: SST Report No. 10

OBJECTIVE

To report findings regarding health-related quality-of-life outcomes by treatment arm, both overall and within subgroups defined by selected baseline characteristics, among patients who participated in the Submacular Surgery Trials (SST) randomized trial of observation vs surgical removal of subfoveal choroidal neovascular lesions that were either idiopathic or associated with ocular histoplasmosis (SST Group H Trial).

DESIGN AND METHODS

Eligible patients were 18 years or older and had subfoveal choroidal neovascularization (including a classic component on fluorescein angiography) and visual acuity of 20/50 to 20/800 inclusive in the eye randomly assigned to surgery or observation. Trained interviewers, who were masked to treatment assignment, administered the National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI-VFQ), the 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) by telephone before enrollment and at 6, 12, and 24 months after enrollment; early enrollees also had interviews at 36 and 48 months. Baseline clinical examinations provided data regarding visual acuity, other aspects of vision, and presence of unilateral or bilateral choroidal neovascularization.

RESULTS

Of 225 patients interviewed at baseline and enrolled, 201, 190, and 161 patients (respectively, 89%, 85%, and 88% of those eligible to be interviewed) were interviewed 12, 24, and 36 months later. The NEI-VFQ scores in both treatment arms improved from baseline (median score, 75) to the 24-month interview. Patients in the surgery arm had 4-point larger improvements, on average, than patients in the observation arm (95% confidence interval, 1-8 points). The largest differences between treatment arms for mean 24-month improvements from baseline were in the role difficulties subscale (9 points) and dependency subscale (8 points), with larger mean improvements in the surgery arm. Scores on the SF-36 worsened by approximately 1 point on the physical component summary and improved by 2 points or more on the mental component summary in both treatment arms by 24 months in comparison to baseline. The percentage of HADS-defined "definite cases" of both anxiety and depression declined from baseline in each treatment arm.

CONCLUSIONS

Vision-targeted quality of life improved more after submacular surgery than with observation, supporting a possible small overall benefit of surgery suggested by the ophthalmic outcomes reported elsewhere. Ophthalmologists and patients similar to those who participated in the SST Group H Trial should be aware of the effects of submacular surgery on specific aspects of vision-targeted quality of life as well as on ophthalmic outcomes when considering this treatment approach.

Surgery for hemorrhagic choroidal neovascular lesions of age-related macular degeneration: quality-of-life findings: SST report no. 14

PURPOSE

To present and compare findings from health-related quality-of-life (HRQOL) interviews conducted with patients enrolled in the SST Group B Trial evaluating surgical removal of subfoveal choroidal neovascular lesions associated with age-related macular degeneration versus observation.

DESIGN

Randomized clinical trial.

PARTICIPANTS

Eligible patients had predominantly hemorrhagic subfoveal choroidal neovascular lesions (total lesion size of >3.5 disc areas, area of blood at least 50% of the lesion area, and at least 75% of blood posterior to the equator) and best-corrected visual acuity (VA) of 20/100 to <20/1600 but at least light perception in the study eye. Three hundred thirty-six patients enrolled after baseline quality-of-life interviews, 168 assigned to each of surgery or observation.

METHODS

Clinical and HRQOL data were collected before randomization and at 6, 12, 24, 36, and 48 months after enrollment. Baseline clinical evidence was used to stratify patients as having unilateral or bilateral neovascularization at the time of randomization. The HRQOL interviews included the National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI-VFQ), the 36-item Short Form Health Survey, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale.

MAIN OUTCOMES MEASURE

Two-year change in NEI-VFQ.

RESULTS

At 24 months after enrollment, overall NEI-VFQ scores had a median decrease of 1 point from baseline in the observation arm (95% confidence interval [CI]: -4 to 3 points) and no change in the surgery arm (95% CI: -3 to 3 points) (P = 0.70). Changes from baseline on NEI-VFQ subscales also were similar between treatment arms. Differences in scores by unilateral or bilateral involvement seen at baseline in each treatment arm persisted throughout follow-up for most outcomes. Planned analyses stratified by VA showed trends (P = 0.17) in favor of surgery at 24 months in the patients with baseline VA greater than 20/200 for the NEI-VFQ scale (3.5-point median increase from baseline in the surgery arm [95% CI: -4 to 7] vs. a 1-point median loss from baseline in the observation arm [95% CI: -6 to 4]).

CONCLUSIONS

No difference was detected with respect to vision-targeted quality-of-life outcomes for patients randomized to surgery or observation in the SST Group B Trial. This article contains additional online-only material available at www.ophsource.com/periodicals/ophtha.

Surgery for subfoveal choroidal neovascularization in age-related macular degeneration: quality-of-life findings: SST report no. 12

PURPOSE

To describe health-related quality of life (HRQOL), overall and in patients with unilateral or bilateral choroidal neovascularization (CNV), in a clinical trial (Group N Trial) comparing observation and surgical removal of subfoveal CNV secondary to age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

DESIGN

Randomized clinical trial.

PARTICIPANTS

Eligible patients had untreated subfoveal CNV and AMD, best-corrected visual acuity (VA) of 20/100 to 20/800, classic CNV on fluorescein angiography, and a total subfoveal lesion size of < or =9.0 disc areas in the study eye.

METHODS

Health-related quality of life data (the National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire [NEI-VFQ], 36-item Short Form Health Survey [SF-36], and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale [HADS]) and clinical data were collected at baseline and at 6, 12, 24, 36, and 48 months. Patients were divided into unilateral and bilateral CNV subgroups based on fluorescein angiographic and clinical evidence.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

Two-year change in the NEI-VFQ.

RESULTS

Of 454 patients enrolled, 228 were assigned to observation and 226 to surgery. At baseline, median overall NEI-VFQ scores were 67 in the observation group and 69 in the surgery group; by 2 years, the observation group had lost a median of 3 points (95% confidence interval [CI]: -6 to -2), and the surgery group gained a median of 1 point (CI: -1 to 3). The largest difference was observed for the mental health subscale, where the observation group lost a median of 5 points (CI: -5 to 0), and the surgery group gained a median of 5 points (CI: 0-10) by 2 years. Treatment differences in median 2-year changes in NEI-VFQ scores favored surgery by up to 10 points for unilateral cases and up to 8 points for bilateral cases. No treatment difference in 2-year change was observed for the SF-36 physical component summary; 2-year change in the mental component summary favored surgery by 2 points. Few patients (2%-4%) had HADS definite anxiety or depression at baseline or at 24 months.

CONCLUSIONS

Although HRQOL outcomes were better in the submacular surgery arm than in the observation arm, surgery (per protocol) is not recommended because VA outcomes (reported elsewhere) were similar in the treatment arms. This article contains additional online-only material available at http://www.ophsource.com/periodicals/ophtha.

Surgery for hemorrhagic choroidal neovascular lesions of age-related macular degeneration: ophthalmic findings: SST report no. 13

PURPOSE

To present best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) findings and other clinical outcomes from eyes of patients enrolled in one of the Submacular Surgery Trials (SST) evaluating surgical removal versus observation of predominantly hemorrhagic subfoveal choroidal neovascularization (CNV) associated with age-related macular degeneration.

DESIGN

Randomized clinical trial (SST Group B Trial).

PARTICIPANTS

Eligible patients had subfoveal choroidal neovascular lesions greater than 3.5 disk areas (8.9 mm2) composed of at least 50% blood (either blood or CNV underlying the center of the foveal avascular zone) and BCVA of 20/100 to light perception in the study eye.

INTERVENTION

Patients were assigned randomly at time of enrollment to observation or surgical removal of blood and any associated CNV.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

A successful outcome was defined a priori as either improvement in visual acuity (VA), no change in VA, or a decline in VA of no more than 1 line (7 letters) from baseline to the 24-month examination based on an intent-to-treat analysis.

RESULTS

Of 336 patients enrolled, 168 were assigned to each treatment arm; treatment arms were balanced by baseline characteristics. Of 1501 expected examinations 3 months through 36 months after baseline, 1370 (91%) were performed. Loss of > or =2 lines (> or =8 letters) of VA occurred in 56% of surgery eyes, versus 59% of observation eyes examined at 24 months. Although severe loss of VA was not the primary outcome of interest, surgery more often prevented such loss: 36% in the observation arm versus 21% in the surgery arm at the 24-month examination (chi2 P = 0.004). Of initially phakic eyes, the cumulative percentage that had undergone cataract surgery by 24 months was 44% in the surgery arm, compared with 6% in the observation arm. Twenty-seven eyes (16%) in the surgical arm, compared with 3 eyes (2%) in the observation arm, had a rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RD).

CONCLUSIONS

Submacular surgery as performed in the SST Group B Trial did not increase the chance of stable or improved VA (the primary outcome of interest) and was associated with a high risk of rhegmatogenous RD, but did reduce the risk of severe VA loss in comparison with observation. This article contains additional online-only material available at http://www.ophsource.com/periodicals/ophtha.

Clinical trial performance of community- vs university-based practices in the submacular surgery trials (SST): SST report no. 2

OBJECTIVE

To compare the performance of community- vs university-based clinical centers in 3 multicenter randomized clinical trials of intraocular surgery.

METHODS

Each Submacular Surgery Trials clinical center was classified as a university-based center, if the contract to perform as a center was signed by a university official, or as a community-based center. The 2 groups of centers were compared on performance, assessed cumulatively by the Submacular Surgery Trials Quality Assurance and Monitoring Subcommittee.

OUTCOME MEASURES

Patient accrual, completion of scheduled examinations, completion of masked vision examinations 2 years after enrollment (the designated primary study end point evaluation time), timeliness of submission of retinal photographs required by protocol to the Photograph Reading Center, completion of health- and vision-related quality-of-life interviews, and timeliness of submission of the primary outcome data to the Coordinating Center after completion of the examination.

RESULTS

Almost all centers performed at a very high (good) level, although there was a trend for some community-based centers to be at the lower end of most distributions.

CONCLUSIONS

Most community- and university-based centers performed well in these multicenter clinical trials. Monitoring performance and periodically providing feedback to clinical center investigators may encourage excellent performance in areas critical to the success of clinical trials, regardless of whether the center is community or university based.