[IVOM quality assurance in Westfalen-Lippe : Structure of quality assurance and results of the pilot study Q-VERA]

Is Exudative Neovascular AMD a Chronic Disease? Analysis of Long-term Progression under Anti-VEGF Therapy

BACKGROUND

Anti-VEGF therapy is the standard treatment for exudative neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) caused by the development of macular neovascularisation (MNV) with associated fluid exudation. The therapeutic strategies (T&E or PRN) assumed a scarring transformation of the MNV and exit strategies and were formulated accordingly. The present study investigates this hypothesis as a real-life long-term analysis.

PATIENTS

150 eyes of 97 patients were continuously followed up over a mean period of 5.1 years (1 - 14 years) after initiation of anti-VEGF therapy between 2009 - 2017 until 2022. Treatment was based on the PRN regimen analogous to the IVAN study with ranibizumab, aflibercept or bevacizumab. The length and intensity of therapy were evaluated.

RESULTS

Of these 150 eyes, 119 (79.3%) required ongoing anti-VEGF therapy, while in 18 eyes (12.0%) therapy could be discontinued due to stabilisation of the situation. In 13 eyes (8.7%), therapy was discontinued due to deterioration in visual acuity to < 0.05. With ongoing therapy, therapy was often protracted, with an indication for therapy at the last documented doctor's visit, while stabilisation was often achieved within the first 2 years of treatment. The treatment intensity increased to 7.7 - 8.0 injections/year, especially after 2013, with the introduction of OCT-based treatment criteria. Most eyes (74.8%) with ongoing therapy required 6 - 9 injections/year even in the last three years of treatment.

CONCLUSION

The fact that in the present study there is a long-term and intensive need for therapy in the majority of patients (approx. 80%) with exudative nAMD, supports the assessment that nAMD should be regarded as a chronic disease. Therefore, a proactive treatment strategy with consistent therapy at any sign of lesion activity might be recommended. Particularly in view of the risk of irreversible loss of vision, long term adherence of patients is also crucial for the best possible long term therapeutic outcome.

[Legal aspects of quality assurance : Example of operative intravitreal injection therapy]

BACKGROUND

In the legal evaluation of medical treatments it is important to know which legal and contractual regulations apply.

OBJECTIVE

This article discusses in which context treatment errors play a role and are identified as such.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Relevant German legal framework conditions are discussed and examples with reference to intravitreal injection therapy are given.

RESULTS

The civil law treatment contract between physician and patient results in the medical obligations of a service contract. As a consequence, the physician is obliged to provide the patient with treatment according to the current generally accepted professional standard, including information obligations, the certainty of a diagnosis, the execution of treatment and aftercare. Before claims for compensation and damages for pain and suffering can be enforced, proof of a treatment error and the causal connection must be provided. In court, mostly expert opinions are used to assess what the professional standard is and whether the physician was sufficiently qualified, whether informed consent and documentation met the legal requirements and whether a (gross) treatment error must be assumed. The Patients' Rights Act emphasizes the importance of an open error culture by requiring a practitioner to inform patients of third party/own treatment errors on request or in order to avert health risks, if circumstances are discernible to the practitioner that justify the assumption of a treatment error.

CONCLUSION

Although ophthalmologists cannot guarantee healing or success but only the treatment, there are many medical obligations for intravitreal therapy. Increased standards of quality assurance can be implemented within the framework of selective contracts.

[Value and formats of quality assurance : Ophthalmology and intravitreal therapy between reality and wishful thinking]

BACKGROUND

In view of the large number of patients and error-prone activities, legal requirements for quality assurance (QA) are of great importance for modern ophthalmology.

OBJECTIVE

This article discusses the need and formats of QA using the example of intravitreal operative medication injection therapy (IVOM).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The legal framework conditions are briefly referenced and improvement potentials of the status quo are discussed.

RESULTS

The first quality control instruments were implemented for IVOM therapy; however, important quality indicators (number of treatments per patient/year, loss of follow-up, course of function) are not yet evaluated nationwide in Germany and cannot therefore be taken into account for continuous improvement and QA reports. To date, not all ophthalmologists involved have been under review in the field of basic diagnostics and follow-up. Limiting QA to ophthalmic surgeons alone does not improve quality and many statutory health insurances actively prevent scientific investigations within selective contracts.

CONCLUSION

For the QA of imaging diagnostics, similar proficiency measures (random samples, round robin testing) are required in ophthalmology as in radiological disciplines. The communication of transparent quality indicators can reduce the risk in the medium term. The quality of treatment and results must not be left to chance, cost pressure or convenience. The manufacturers of software and diagnostic equipment should be oriented towards radiology, where the exchange of voxel-oriented image formats is now less and less hindered by proprietary formats.