Anzeige
Erschienen in:
01.02.2003 | Original Research Article
The Burden of Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Results of a Cohort Study in Two French Referral Centres
Erschienen in: PharmacoEconomics | Ausgabe 3/2003
Einloggen, um Zugang zu erhaltenAbstract
Objective: To describe the economic impact of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and to assess its medical and non-medical costs.
Design and settings: An observational study was carried out in 105 patients in two French centres in a sample of 105 French patients. All consecutive patients, consulting during a 3-week period, were included provided they were 60 years of age or older and they presented an exudative form of AMD with a distant visual acuity in the best eye ≤ 20/40. Data collected included clinical items, treatment modalities, medical follow-up, transport costs, impact of AMD on living conditions and welfare payments related to visual impairment. Costs were presented in 2000 values.
Perspective: General payer perspective (Social Security, private health insurance and patient).
Results: Mean age was 79.3 years and ranged from 62.8–95 years. Average length of disease evolution was 3.5 years. During a 3-month period, patients had a mean of 2.6 visits to the ophthalmologist. Thirty percent of the patients used vascular medications and 72.4% had been previously treated by laser photocoagulation. Only 10% had benefited from visual rehabilitation. Annual AMD cost per patient was 3660.29 euros (EUR) [95% CI: 2881.92–4438.62].Half of these annual costs were medical costs. Other major cost components were home help costs EUR904.91 [95% CI: 478.88–1330.94] and transport costs for care EUR542.73 [95% CI: 146.31–939.14]. Non-medical costs were significantly higher for patients with more severe disease.
Conclusions: The economic argument that costs are higher in patients with the lowest visual acuity emphasises the necessity of early detection and treatment of patients with AMD.