Effectiveness of Multimodal imaging for the Evaluation of Retinal oedema And new vesseLs in Diabetic retinopathy (EMERALD).

INTRODUCTION: Diabetic macular oedema (DMO) and proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) are the major causes of sight loss in people with diabetes. Due to the increased prevalence of diabetes, the workload related to these complications is increasing making it difficult for Hospital Eye Services (HSE) to meet demands. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Effectiveness of Multimodal imaging for the Evaluation of Retinal oedema And new vesseLs in Diabetic retinopathy (EMERALD) is a prospective, case-referent, cross-sectional diagnostic study. It aims at determining the diagnostic performance, cost-effectiveness and acceptability of a new form of surveillance for people with stable DMO and/or PDR, which entails multimodal imaging and image review by an ophthalmic grader, using the current standard of care (evaluation of patients in clinic by an ophthalmologist) as the reference standard. If safe, cost-effective and acceptable, this pathway could help HES by freeing ophthalmologist time. The primary outcome of EMERALD is sensitivity of the new surveillance pathway in detecting active DMO/PDR. Secondary outcomes include specificity, agreement between new and the standard care pathway, positive and negative likelihood ratios, cost-effectiveness, acceptability, proportion of patients requiring subsequent full clinical assessment, unable to undergo imaging, with inadequate quality images or indeterminate findings. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval was obtained for this study from the Office for Research Ethics Committees Northern Ireland (reference 17/NI/0124). Study results will be published as a Health Technology Assessment monograph, in peer-reviewed national and international journals and presented at national/international conferences and to patient groups. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT03490318 and ISRCTN:10856638.

[What is the cost of treatment of diabetic retinopathy by argon laser in Yaoundé?] / Quel coût pour le traitement de la rétinopathie diabétique par laser argon à Yaoundé ?

PURPOSE: To evaluate the total cost of treatment of diabetic retinopathy by argon laser for a patient when indicated. PATIENTS AND METHOD: Prospective cross-sectional and descriptive survey, carried out in the angiography and laser center of the Yaoundé Central Hospital from October 2014 to October 2015. All consecutive diabetic patients with retinopathy and suitable indication for argon laser treatment were included. The costs related to the initial and final fluorescein angiography, the appointment for follow-up, round-trip transportation costs from the patient's home and the cost of laser treatment were included. RESULTS: Included were 43 (13 %) patients out of 330 with diabetic retinopathy. The mean age was 55.67±8.40years. There were 25 women (58.1 %) and 18 men (41.9 %) for a M/F ratio of 0.7. Unemployed patients were represented by 28 (65.1 %) versus 15 employed (34.9 %). Twenty-seven patients (62.8 %) were self-pay for all their expenses, 14 (32.6 %) were assisted by their families, and 2 (4.6 %) were insured. On average, the total expenditure was 86002±67197 f CFA per eye, corresponding to 131±102 euros with an exchange rate of 1 euro for 656 f CFA. CONCLUSION: The cost of treatment of diabetic retinopathy by argon laser is high, mostly increased by the additional costs related to transportation in our area. The creation of satellite centers in the 10 regions of Cameroon would reduce these costs.

AIMING FOR THE BULL'S EYE: The Cost-Utility of Screening for Hydroxychloroquine Retinopathy.

BACKGROUND: Throughout medicine, the cost of various treatments has been increasingly studied with the result that certain management guidelines might be reevaluated in their context. Cost-utility is a term referring to the expense of preventing the loss of quality of life, quantified in dollars per quality-adjusted life year. In 2002, the American Academy of Ophthalmology published hydroxychloroquine screening recommendations which were revised in 2011. The purpose of this report is to estimate the cost-utility of these recommendations. METHODS: A hypothetical care model of screening for hydroxychloroquine retinopathy was formulated. The costs of screening components were calculated using 2016 Medicare fee schedules from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. RESULTS: The cost-utility of screening for hydroxychloroquine retinopathy with the 2011 American Academy of Ophthalmology guidelines was found to vary from 33,155 to 344,172 dollars per quality-adjusted life year depending on the type and number of objective screening tests chosen, practice setting, and the duration of hydroxychloroquine use. Screening had a more favorable cost-utility when the more sensitive and specific diagnostics were used, and for patients with an increased risk of toxicity. CONCLUSION: American Academy of Ophthalmology guidelines have a wide-ranging cost-utility. Prudent clinical judgment of risk stratification and tests chosen is necessary to optimize cost-utility without compromising the efficacy of screening.

Cost-Utility Analysis of Screening Strategies for Diabetic Retinopathy in Korea.

This study involved a cost-utility analysis of early diagnosis and treatment of diabetic retinopathy depending on the screening strategy used. The four screening strategies evaluated were no screening, opportunistic examination, systematic fundus photography, and systematic examination by an ophthalmologists. Each strategy was evaluated in 10,000 adults aged 40 yr with newly diagnosed diabetes mellitus (hypothetical cohort). The cost of each strategy was estimated in the perspective of both payer and health care system. The utility was estimated using quality-adjusted life years (QALY). Incremental Cost Effectiveness Ratio (ICER) for the different screening strategies was analyzed. After exclusion of the weakly dominating opportunistic strategy, the ICER of systematic photography was 57,716,867 and that of systematic examination by ophthalmologists was 419,989,046 from the perspective of the healthcare system. According to the results, the systematic strategy is preferable to the opportunistic strategy from the perspective of both a payer and a healthcare system. Although systematic examination by ophthalmologists may have higher utility than systematic photography, it is associated with higher cost. The systematic photography is the best strategy in terms of cost-utility. However systematic examination by ophthalmologists can also be a suitable policy alternative, if the incremental cost is socially acceptable.

Cost-Utility Analysis of Screening Strategies for Diabetic Retinopathy in Korea

This study involved a cost-utility analysis of early diagnosis and treatment of diabetic retinopathy depending on the screening strategy used. The four screening strategies evaluated were no screening, opportunistic examination, systematic fundus photography, and systematic examination by an ophthalmologists. Each strategy was evaluated in 10,000 adults aged 40 yr with newly diagnosed diabetes mellitus (hypothetical cohort). The cost of each strategy was estimated in the perspective of both payer and health care system. The utility was estimated using quality-adjusted life years (QALY). Incremental Cost Effectiveness Ratio (ICER) for the different screening strategies was analyzed. After exclusion of the weakly dominating opportunistic strategy, the ICER of systematic photography was 57,716,867 and that of systematic examination by ophthalmologists was 419,989,046 from the perspective of the healthcare system. According to the results, the systematic strategy is preferable to the opportunistic strategy from the perspective of both a payer and a healthcare system. Although systematic examination by ophthalmologists may have higher utility than systematic photography, it is associated with higher cost. The systematic photography is the best strategy in terms of cost-utility. However systematic examination by ophthalmologists can also be a suitable policy alternative, if the incremental cost is socially acceptable.

An outcome analysis of intraoperative angiography for postmastectomy breast reconstruction.

BACKGROUND: Intraoperative angiography is a useful tool for predicting both tissue perfusion during postmastectomy breast reconstruction and mastectomy flap and free flap survival. OBJECTIVES: The authors determine whether the routine use of laser-assisted indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence angiography (SPY Imaging; LifeCell Corp, Branchburg, New Jersey) in breast reconstruction decreases the incidence of complications and whether this new technology is cost-effective. METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted for 184 consecutive patients who underwent breast reconstruction using intraoperative ICG angiography from April 2009 to December 2011 at Emory University (Atlanta, Georgia). The incidence of complications (including mastectomy skin necrosis, flap necrosis, fat necrosis, unexpected reoperations, infections, and dehiscence) among these patients was compared with data for 184 consecutive patients who underwent breast reconstruction at Emory University from October 2007 to April 2009, prior to the introduction of ICG angiography. Patient data recorded included age, body mass index, smoking status, and history of preoperative radiation as well as the timing and type of reconstruction, along with complications. The cost of unexpected reoperations for perfusion-related complications and associated hospital stays was calculated. RESULTS: The 184 patients who underwent procedures using ICG angiography imaging had a lower incidence of mastectomy skin necrosis (13% vs 23.4%; P = .010) and unexpected reoperations for perfusion-related complications (5.9% vs 14.1%, P = .009). The 184 patients who underwent procedures without ICG angiography had a higher mean degree of severity of mastectomy skin necrosis (2.22 vs 1.83 on a scale of 1-3; P = .065). There were no significant differences in the degree of flap necrosis, nipple necrosis, fat necrosis, dehiscence, infection, implant exposure, flap loss, seroma, hematoma, or the number of overall complications between the 2 groups. The use of ICG angiography saved patients an average of $610. CONCLUSIONS: The use of ICG angiography during postmastectomy breast reconstruction decreased the incidence and severity of mastectomy skin necrosis as well as the incidence of unexpected reoperations for perfusion-related complications. The technology was found to be cost-effective.

Fluorescence angiography in the assessment of flap perfusion and vitality.

Indocyanine green angiography is increasingly being adopted by reconstructive surgeons for use in pedicle tissue flaps and microvascular free-tissue transfer procedures. With the increasing adoption of this technology, the postoperative complication rate and the need for reoperation can be decreased, making these reconstructive procedures more predictable. The main disadvantage of this technology is its cost; with time and greater adoption of this technology, the cost will eventually decrease. Decreased postoperative complications and reduced need for revision surgery with the use of this technology will play a significant role in decreasing the overall health care costs for these complex reconstructive procedures.

Low-cost portable fluorescein angiography.

Fundus fluorescein angiography has great potential as a unique non-invasive tool to investigate in vivo the microvascular pathogenesis of a wide variety of diseases affecting the central nervous system. However, because it requires a bulky and expensive tabletop retinal camera, it is normally limited to cooperative and alert seated patients in well-resourced settings. Recently completed and ongoing studies of the pathogenesis of severe malaria are using fluorescein angiography to examine in detail the postulated central role of microvascular obstruction. We describe a novel method of fluorescein angiography with a portable retinal camera that can be adapted at very low cost for use in sick patients at the bedside. This method greatly expands the scope of potential studies utilising fluorescein angiography.

Angiografia: segurança x economia / Angiography: safety x economy

OBJETIVO: Avaliar a segurança, eficiência e custos do exame angiofluoresceinográfico utilizando menor dosagem de contraste e aparelho digital com máquina de fotocópia a laser. MÉTODOS: Estudo prospectivo e comparativo entre um grupo de 70 pacientes que foi submetido à avaliação angiográfica com retinógrafo convencional, injetando-se 5 ml de fluoresceína sódica a 10 por cento (grupo controle), e um grupo de 70 pacientes que foi submetido à avaliação angiográfica com retinógrafo digital injetando-se 2 ml de fluoresceína a 10 por cento (grupo estudo). Pressão arterial, freqüência cardíaca e oximetria foram avaliadas antes e após a injeção de contraste. Reações orgânicas, relacionadas ao exame, foram notificadas. A qualidade das fotografias e os custos foram comparados entre as duas técnicas. RESULTADOS: Observou-se que os pacientes do grupo controle apresentaram maior aumento da pressão arterial sistólica e diastólica. Freqüência cardíaca, oximetria e reações adversas não demonstraram diferenças estatisticamente significativas entre os dois grupos. Quanto à qualidade das fotografias foi notado melhor desempenho no grupo controle. Quanto aos custos observou-se que o exame realizado no grupo estudo proporcionou economia de aproximadamente 54,8 por cento por exame em relação ao grupo controle. CONCLUSÃO: A realização do exame com menor dosagem de fluoresceína, utilizando equipamento digital com máquina de fotocópia a laser, proporcionou maior estabilidade da pressão arterial sistólica e diastólica, porém não exerceu influência sobre a freqüência cardíaca, oximetria e reações adversas como náusea, vômito, síncope e urticária. A qualidade das fotografias pode ser considerada inferior, porém possibilitou a realização de diagnóstico e orientação terapêutica para quem executou o exame. Economicamente apresentou geração de lucro de 66,26 por cento contra 25,81 por cento do equipamento convencional.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the safety, effectiveness, and cost of angiofluoresceinographic examination by using both the least amount of dye as well as digital equipment along with a laser photocopier. METHODS: Prospective and comparative study carried out in a group of 70 patients, who underwent an angiographic evaluation with a conventional retinographer injecting 5 ml sodium fluorescein at 10 percent (control group) as well as a group of 70 patients who underwent an angiographic evaluation with a digital retinographer injecting 2 ml fluorescein at 10 percent (study group). Arterial pressure, heart rate and oximetry were assessed prior to and after the dye injection. Organic reactions related to the examination were reported. Photograph quality as well as cost between the two techniques were compared. RESULTS: Control group patients showed a greater increase in systolic and diastolic arterial pressure. Heart rate, oximetry measurement and adverse reactions did not show any significant statistical differences between both groups. As for the quality of photographs, a better performance was noticed in the control group. As for the cost, the examination carried out in the study group required lower cost and thus saved around 54.8 percent per examination in relation to the control group. CONCLUSION: The examination carried out with a lower dose of fluorescein using digital equipment along with a laser photocopier provided greater stability in the systolic and diastolic arterial pressure. However, it did not have any influence on heart rate, oximetry or adverse reactions such as nausea, vomiting, syncope and rashes. The quality of photographs was poor although they enabled diagnosis as well as therapy follow-up for those who carried out the examination. Moreover, economically the above procedure represented a gain of 66.26 percent, against 25.81 percent in relation to the conventional equipment.

[Angiography: safety x economy]. / Angiografia: segurança x economia.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the safety, effectiveness, and cost of angiofluoresceinographic examination by using both the least amount of dye as well as digital equipment along with a laser photocopier. METHODS: Prospective and comparative study carried out in a group of 70 patients, who underwent an angiographic evaluation with a conventional retinographer injecting 5 ml sodium fluorescein at 10% (control group) as well as a group of 70 patients who underwent an angiographic evaluation with a digital retinographer injecting 2 ml fluorescein at 10% (study group). Arterial pressure, heart rate and oximetry were assessed prior to and after the dye injection. Organic reactions related to the examination were reported. Photograph quality as well as cost between the two techniques were compared. RESULTS: Control group patients showed a greater increase in systolic and diastolic arterial pressure. Heart rate, oximetry measurement and adverse reactions did not show any significant statistical differences between both groups. As for the quality of photographs, a better performance was noticed in the control group. As for the cost, the examination carried out in the study group required lower cost and thus saved around 54.8% per examination in relation to the control group. CONCLUSION: The examination carried out with a lower dose of fluorescein using digital equipment along with a laser photocopier provided greater stability in the systolic and diastolic arterial pressure. However, it did not have any influence on heart rate, oximetry or adverse reactions such as nausea, vomiting, syncope and rashes. The quality of photographs was poor although they enabled diagnosis as well as therapy follow-up for those who carried out the examination. Moreover, economically the above procedure represented a gain of 66.26%, against 25.81% in relation to the conventional equipment.

[Simultaneous digital ICG and fluorescein videoangiography with the personal computer]. / Simultane digitale ICG- und Fluoreszeinvideoangiographie mit dem PC.

BACKGROUND: Since the invention of the simultaneous ICG and fluorescein (SIF) videoangiography in 1995 none of the available SLOs were significantly improved. Digital video recording with a PC can simplify and improve the quality of the angiography. METHOD: SIF angiography images of a two-wavelength scanning laser ophthalmoscope were digitized with a personal computer and written to disk with at rate of 25 images/s as a non-compressed digital video file. The digitized image sequence could be replayed with any standard video player and converted to different image and video file formats with a file conversion utility, developed specifically for the needs of SIF angiography. RESULTS: Recording of digital SIF videoangiograms with a personal computer is not more complicated than the conventional video method. Since most of the parameters of the recording software are customizable, processing methods can be tailored to individual needs. Off-line processing and/or storage of the images in a digital database are possible immediately after recording. To facilitate localization of the pathological landmarks on the fundus the two channels of the SIF angiograms can be observed as combined red-green images. CONCLUSIONS: Compared to conventional videoangiography, digital SIF videoangiography has only advantages: the image quality is better, it is less complicated and not more expensive than the conventional one. Digital recording should replace the conventional one.

Cost effectiveness of screening for primary open angle glaucoma.

OBJECTIVES AND SETTING: To determine the cost effectiveness of screening for glaucoma. METHODS: Information on treatment efficacy, diagnostic methods, epidemiological characteristics of glaucoma, and costs were determined from the literature, from administrative databases, and from experts. Scenarios with different screening frequency, age, participation in screening, compliance with treatment, treatment efficacy, and diagnostic tests were examined. RESULTS: The initial scenario comprised three-yearly screening of subjects aged 40-79 by funduscopy and tonometry, followed by perimetry when abnormalities were discovered. The assumption of levels of participation in screening and of compliance with treatment of 75%, and treatment efficacy of 50% resulted in a cost of $C100,000 per year of blindness prevented. A scenario in which screening was restricted to subjects aged 65-79, with the same input variables, would prevent 81% of the cases of blindness prevented with scenario 1, at a cost of $C42,000 per year of blindness prevented. Screening with tonometry only as the initial diagnostic test in subjects aged 65-79 would result in a cost of $C36,000 per year of blindness prevented, but would only prevent 59% of the cases prevented with scenario 1. CONCLUSIONS: There is as yet no proof that treatment of glaucoma or of high intraocular pressure will arrest the progression of glaucoma to blindness. Even when treatment efficacy is assumed to be as high as 50%, however, the cost effectiveness of most glaucoma screening programmes considered would not be competitive.

Angiofluoroscopia em diabéticos: um exame para a realidade de nosso meio / Angiofluoroscopy in diabetic retinopathy

Quarenta e seis olhos de 23 pacientes diabéticos do Hospital de Clínicas de Franco da Rocha foram examinados e classificados com relaçäo à retinopatia diabética mediante oftalmoscopia indireta e posteriormente angiofluoroscopia para detecçäo de alteraçöes microvasculares relacionadas à doença, triando o real número de pacientes que necessitam ser submetidos à angiografia fluoresceínica, além de mapear alteraçöes que permitem orientaçäo terapêutica com laser. É um exame de baixo custo e fácil execuçäo, podendo ser amplamente utilizado pelos serviços públicos mais carentes de nosso país

[Is fundus photography useful in screening for diabetic retinopathy in patients with type II diabetes mellitus?]. / Is fundusfotografie zinvol bij de screening op diabetische retinopathie bij patiënten met diabetes mellitus type II?

OBJECTIVE: To determine the value of a screening programme with fundus photography for diabetic retinopathy in diabetes mellitus type II patients. DESIGN: Prospective. SETTING: General practices in the region Zwolle, The Netherlands. METHOD: 650 Patients from 50 general practices were photographed after dilating both eyes. Of these 215 were examined by an ophthalmologist. Data of patients who did not join the study were analysed in 13 general practices. Any symptom of retinopathy and/or photographs of poor quality implied referral to an ophthalmologist. RESULTS: Of a total of 1300 photographs 208 (16%) could hardly or not at all be assessed. The agreement in the group of 215 patients between photography and ophthalmoscopy was statistically significant at classification level (Cohen's kappa 0.41). The advice given to patients after photography did not differ from that after ophthalmoscopy (kappa: 0.50); photography did not miss any high-risk characteristics, it yielded more warnings, and underestimated the level of retinopathy in 8 out of 215 cases. With current ophthalmologic rates in the Netherlands fundus photography was not financially advantageous as 71 (33%) out of 215 patients needed to be referred to an ophthalmologist. However, in the other 144 (67%) patients photography sufficed. This may offer a solution where ophthalmic care is in short supply. Of 168/420 patients who did not apply for photography 116 (69%) were either under ophthalmic supervision already or too disabled to be screened. CONCLUSION: The use of a fundus camera is equivalent to funduscopy by an ophthalmologist in screening for retinopathy of type II diabetic patients. There are no financial benefits, but it reduces the work load of ophthalmologists.

Cost-effectiveness of alternative methods for diabetic retinopathy screening.

OBJECTIVE: To assess from the perspectives of a government delivery system and patients, the cost-effectiveness of the 45-degrees retinal camera compared to the standard ophthalmologist's exam and an ophthalmic exam by a physician's assistant or nurse practitioner technician, for detecting nonproliferative and proliferative diabetic retinopathy. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Comparison of 45-degrees fundus photographs with and without pharmacological pupil dilation taken by technicians and interpreted by experts, direct and indirect ophthalmoscopy by ophthalmologists, and direct ophthalmoscopy by technicians with seven-field stereoscopic fundus photography (reference standard). Costs were estimated from market prices and actual resource use. The study included 352 patients attending outpatient diabetes and general-medicine clinics at VA and DOD facilities. RESULTS: Medical system costs per true positive were: 45-degrees photos with dilation, $295; 45-degrees photos without dilation, $378; ophthalmologist, $390; and technician, $794. Patient costs per true positive were: 45-degrees photos with dilation, $139; 45-degrees photos without dilation, $171; ophthalmologist, $306; and technician, $1009. Cost-effectiveness is sensitive to program size due to high fixed cost of the camera methods but not to prevalence. Cost-effectiveness of the technician exam is strongly affected by its sensitivity. CONCLUSIONS: Primary-care screening with retinal photographs through pharmacologically dilated pupils for diabetic retinopathy is an appropriate and cost-effective alternative to screening by an ophthalmologist in this setting. Ophthalmologists are scarce, primary-care physicians are extremely busy, and large clinics allow fixed equipment costs to be spread across many patients.

Screening for diabetic retinopathy: a relative cost-effectiveness analysis of alternative modalities and strategies.

Diabetic retinopathy is the most common cause of blindness among adults of working age in the UK. If the disease is detected early effective treatment can be provided and this has resulted in calls for a systematic national screening programme. Using data on the screening of 3423 diabetics collected as part of an experimental programme in three UK centres, the relative cost-effectiveness of various screening options is assessed. The paper utilises direct evidence on a number of single modality screening options, including ophthalmoscopy undertaken by general practitioners or ophthalmic opticians, and non-mydriatic photography. With the objective of increasing the sensitivity of screening and using data collected in the study, options based on two further potential screening strategies are modelled and evaluated: combined screening using both ophthalmoscopy and non-mydriatic photography; and selective screening where high-risk diabetics are directly referred to an ophthalmologist and low-risk cases are either left unscreened or are screened by one of the single or combined modality screening options. Given the objective of early detection, effectiveness is assessed in terms of the sensitivity and specificity of the referral decisions of screening options. Both health service and private resource costs of the various screening options are estimated, the latter in terms of travel and the opportunity cost of time. Cost effectiveness is evaluated in terms of the expected cost per true positive case of diabetic retinopathy referred by the screening options. To narrow the choice between the options, those subject to three-way domination with respect to the three choice variables of sensitivity, specificity and expected cost per true positive are excluded. Amongst the remaining options, the choice is dependent on the trade-off between the higher specifics of unselective single modality screening options and the higher sensitivities and lower expected costs per true positive case detected of combined modality and selective screening options.

Cost-effectiveness of strategies for detecting diabetic retinopathy.

A computer model has been developed to determine cost-effectiveness of screening and treatment for diabetic retinopathy from a societal viewpoint. This model was used to evaluate biannual and annual screening programs using ophthalmoscopy, fundus photography with a "nonmydriatic camera," and photography with a "mydriatic camera." Computations were performed for three subpopulations formed by patients with younger onset diabetes (age at diagnosis less than 30 years) of 5 years or more duration, with older onset diabetes (age at diagnosis greater than or equal to 30 years) who are taking insulin, and with older onset diabetes not taking insulin. Population characteristics are from a well-described southern Wisconsin population where data are available, but the computer model may be specialized to other population. Generally costs of screening programs appear to be recovered by avoided costs of blindness in the population subgroups taking insulin; however, the cost of screening programs generally are not recovered by avoiding costs of blindness in the older onset population subgroup not taking insulin. It was estimated that supplying annual examination with mydriatic fundus photography as a screening program to a cohort of 1,000 diabetics from the younger onset population who have been diagnosed at least 5 years and who are currently not receiving care might save 319 sight years over the lifetime of the cohort. This program will save 62 sight years in an older onset cohort who are taking insulin, and 21 sight years in the older onset population not taking insulin (all benefits are presented as present values computed with an annual discount rate of 5%). Other programs achieve slightly lower savings in each subpopulation.