The burden of age-related macular degeneration: a value-based analysis.

Full Abstract

PURPOSE

OF REVIEW:
The quality-of-life loss and the financial consequences associated with age-related macular degeneration are assessed.

RECENT FINDINGS:
The quality-of-life loss associated with macular degeneration is markedly underestimated by the general public, nonophthalmic physicians, and ophthalmologists who treat patients with this condition. Mild age-related macular degeneration causes a 17% decrement in the quality of life of the average patient, similar to that encountered with moderate cardiac angina or symptomatic human immunodeficiency virus syndrome. Moderate age-related macular degeneration causes a 40% decrease in the average patient's quality of life, similar to that associated with severe cardiac angina or renal dialysis. Very severe age-related macular degeneration causes a large 63% decrease in the average patient's quality of life, similar to that encountered with end-stage prostatic cancer or a catastrophic stroke that leaves a person bedridden, incontinent and requiring constant nursing care. The return on investment is high for both treatment with current age-related macular degeneration therapies and the research costs invested in the development of age-related macular degeneration treatment modalities.

SUMMARY:
Age-related macular degeneration is a major public health problem that has a devastating effect upon patients and marked adverse financial consequences for the economy.

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Author information

Author/s: Brown, Melissa M (MM); Brown, Gary C (GC); Sharma, Sanjay (S); Stein, Joshua D (JD); Roth, Zachary (Z); Campanella, Joseph (J); Beauchamp, George R (GR);

Affiliation: Center for Value-Based Medicine, Flourtown 19031, USA. mbrown(-atsign-)valuebasedmedicine.com

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't; Review

Journal: Current opinion in ophthalmology (Curr Opin Ophthalmol), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2006-Jun; vol 17 (issue 3) : pp 257-66

Dates: Created 2006/06/23; Completed 2007/06/18;

PMID: 16794438, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

Comments and Corrections

ErratumIn: Curr Opin Ophthalmol. 2006 Jun;17(3):265.

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