[Frequency and distribution of the active agent of intravitreal injections in German centers 2015-2021-An oregis study]. / Häufigkeit und Wirkstoffverteilung intravitrealer Injektionen in deutschen Zentren 2015 bis 2021 ­ eine oregis-Studie.

INTRODUCTION: Digitalization in medicine, especially the electronic documentation of patient data, is revolutionizing healthcare systems worldwide. The evaluation of real-world data collected under everyday conditions presents opportunities but also challenges. Electronic medical registries provide a means to compile extensive patient data for scientific inquiries. Oregis is the first nationwide digital registry for health services research established by the German Ophthalmological Society (DOG). Intravitreal operative medicinal injections (IVOM) are among the most frequently performed procedures in ophthalmology. Data on injection numbers and injection frequencies with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) are already available from other countries, whereas data at a national level are not yet available in Germany due to the lack of a nationwide register. It is known that the treatment success of anti-VEGF IVOMs depends largely on the adherence to treatment and thus on the number of injections. There are also differences in cost. In the context of this study, real-world data on the frequency and distribution of intravitreal injections in German centers from 2015 to 2021 were compiled for the first time since the introduction of oregis. The aim of this study is to collect data on the use of anti-VEGF IVOMs in Germany from oregis for the first time and to show the development of injection numbers and anti-VEGF drugs used. At the same time, the possibilities of data retrieval from oregis are demonstrated using a concrete example from daily ophthalmological practice. MATERIAL AND METHODS: An automated query of records was performed for all patients who received IVOM at oregis-affiliated healthcare facilities between 2015 and 2021. The number of treated patients and the use of anti-VEGF medications, including aflibercept, bevacizumab, brolucizumab, and ranibizumab, were determined. The data were collected in a pseudonymized and anonymized manner. RESULTS: At the time of data collection, 9 German ophthalmological healthcare facilities were affiliated with oregis. In total, 309,152 patients were registered during the observation period, with 8474 receiving IVOMs. Over the observation period, the number of participating centers, patients, and intravitreal injections increased. The proportional share of anti-VEGF agents among the total number of injections varied during the observation period. DISCUSSION: Real-world data captured in oregis offer significant potential for enhancing healthcare provision. Oregis enables the depiction of ophthalmological care conditions in Germany and contributes to research and quality assurance. The ability to query the presented data exemplifies the multitude of inquiries through which oregis can contribute to the representation of ophthalmological care in Germany.

[oregis-The German ophthalmological registry]. / oregis ­ Das deutsche ophthalmologische Register.

BACKGROUND: Medical registries have shown their potential for medical research in different areas of healthcare in the past. The United States of America uses the well-known national ophthalmology registry Intelligent Research in Sight (IRIS®), on the basis of which insights into the ophthalmological care situation in the USA can be gained. Comparable projects do not currently exist in Germany. The oregis is the first disease-independent registry to collect comprehensive data in the field of ophthalmology in Germany for the purpose of healthcare research. METHODS: The oregis collects anonymized clinical patient information from all subfields of ophthalmology and makes it available for research purposes. Participating centers read their data into the registry free of charge and preferably in an automated fashion. Currently, the oregis parameter list contains about 600 parameters, of which about 100 are used in the current pilot phase. RESULTS: Since its initiation, the German ophthalmological registry oregis has compiled data on more than 1.75 million physician visits for more than 400,000 patients from German ophthalmologic centers. As of late 2022, more than 2.8 million visual acuity measurements and an equal number of intraocular pressure measurements have been recorded. DISCUSSION: The aim of the oregis project is to establish a nationwide ophthalmology databank that forms the basis for a learning healthcare system in the field of ophthalmology. With the help of continuous updating, oregis can also illustrate short-term innovations in ophthalmological care.