A teleconsultation network improves the efficacy of anti-VEGF therapy in retinal diseases.

Details

Serval ID
serval:BIB_E4449BE37424
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Title
A teleconsultation network improves the efficacy of anti-VEGF therapy in retinal diseases.
Journal
Journal of telemedicine and telecare
Author(s)
Azzolini C., Torreggiani A., Eandi C., Donati S., Oum M.A., Vinciguerra R., Bartalena L., Tartaglia V.
ISSN
1758-1109 (Electronic)
ISSN-L
1357-633X
Publication state
Published
Issued date
12/2013
Peer-reviewed
Oui
Volume
19
Number
8
Pages
437-442
Language
english
Notes
Publication types: Journal Article ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Publication Status: ppublish
Abstract
We investigated the care of patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) managed via a physician-to-physician teleconsultation network for ophthalmology. Eleven groups of ophthalmologists took part in the study. The groups were located in 10 cities across Italy. Each group was based on a Retina Centre located at a university or hospital, with one or two expert ophthalmologists (20 expert ophthalmologists in total). In each region containing a Retina Centre, 6-10 general ophthalmologists (94 ophthalmologists in total) referred patients via the network for a period of three months between June 2011 and December 2012. An automatic grading system quantified the risk of disease progression, and a remote booking system allowed the referring ophthalmologist to make appointments directly with the appropriate Retina Centre. There were 360 network patients and 318 control patients (consecutive patients undergoing usual care during the previous three months). The time delay before therapy was significantly shorter in the network patients (mean 5.5 days) compared with the usual care patients (mean 28.7 days; P < 0.0001). There was a significant improvement in visual acuity in the network patients after treatment (first visit = 0.29 logMAR; after treatment = 0.22 logMAR; P < 0.05). In contrast, there was no improvement in the usual care patients (first visit = 0.29 logMAR; after treatment = 0.27 logMAR; P > 0.05). The telemedicine network allows regional ophthalmologists to quantify the risk of disease progression, and to send patients to a Retina Centre quickly and easily, when required.
Keywords
Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Angiogenesis Inhibitors/therapeutic use, Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized/therapeutic use, Female, Humans, Italy, Longitudinal Studies, Macular Degeneration/diagnosis, Macular Degeneration/drug therapy, Male, Middle Aged, Ranibizumab, Remote Consultation/methods, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A/antagonists & inhibitors, Visual Acuity
Pubmed
Web of science
Create date
12/03/2021 10:03
Last modification date
26/03/2021 6:35
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