Abstract
ObjectivesAlthough determining the quality of life among glaucoma patients has important clinical and public health implications, the utility value of glaucoma patients has not yet been determined in Korea.MethodsThe Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey database was used to identify 833 glaucoma patients based on ophthalmologic examinations. The adjusted mean utility values, calculated by EuroQol-5D (EQ-5D-3L), of glaucoma patients according to patient demographics and measures of glaucoma severity were determined using multivariate linear regression analysis.ResultsThe mean utility value of glaucoma patients was 0.8968. Patients aged 70 years or more had significantly lower utility value (0.86, p value 0.005) compared to those aged less than 50 years (0.96). Patients within the lowest quartile of income had a utility value of 0.87, compared to a utility value of 0.96 for those within the highest quartile (p value 0.001). Patients who were not married had lower utility value (0.87) compared to married patients (0.93). Patients within the lowest quartile of worse eye frequency doubling technology (FDT) score had lower utility value (0.88) compared to those within the highest quartile (0.94). Finally, bilateral vision loss patients had significantly lower utility value (0.83, p value 0.013) compared to patients without vision loss (0.92).ConclusionThe present study assessed utility values of Korean glaucoma patients. The quality of life determined by EQ-5D-3L in Korean glaucoma patients was higher compared to those in other countries. Patient demographics as well as measures of disease severity were important factors in determining the quality of life within glaucoma patients.
Highlights
Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in the world, affecting more than 70 million people [1]
Due to the increased life expectancy, the prevalence of glaucoma has increased in Korea, with recent studies reporting prevalence rates of 3.5% [2] and 4.5% [3] for primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) and primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG), respectively
Patients with higher education may be expected to have higher utility values as such patients may be more self-aware of the early signs of glaucoma and may be more likely to be diagnosed early, our results suggest that other factors highly correlated with education, such as household income, may act more strongly on utility values among glaucoma patients
Summary
Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in the world, affecting more than 70 million people [1]. Due to the increased life expectancy, the prevalence of glaucoma has increased in Korea, with recent studies reporting prevalence rates of 3.5% [2] and 4.5% [3] for POAG and PACG, respectively. The prevalence of glaucoma in Korea is expected to continue to increase, with a recent study reporting a 54% increase in glaucoma prevalence from 2008 to 2013 [4]. Determining the quality of life for patients with a disease of rising prevalence has important clinical and public health implications [5]. Utility values can be used to compare the quality of life among different groups and are useful in determining the impact a disease has on the health status of patients
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
