A systematic approach to evaluate practice-based process- and outcome data applied to the treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration.

Background: Following the principles of value-based health care, outcomes and processes of daily-practice eye care need to be systematically evaluated. We illustrate an approach that can be used to support data-driven quality improvements. We used patient data regarding the treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD).

A systematic review on the quality, validity and usefulness of current cost-effectiveness studies for treatments of neovascular age-related macular degeneration.

Purpose: Ophthalmologists increasingly depend on new drugs to advance their treatment options. These options are limited by restraints on reimbursements for new and expensive drugs. These restraints are put in place through health policy decisions based on cost-effectiveness analyses (CEA).

Tracing the natural course of visual acuity and quality of life in neovascular age-related macular degeneration: a systematic review and quality of life study.

Background: Describing the natural course of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) is essential in discussing prognosis and treatment options with patients and to support cost-effectiveness studies.

Methods: First, we performed a literature search in PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane. We included randomized clinical trials and prospective observational studies reporting visual acuity (VA) in non-treated patients, 24 studies in total.

Distinguishing between Better and Worse Visual Acuity by Studying the Correlation with Quality of Life in Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

Purpose: To determine whether there is a level of visual acuity (VA) in neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) above which the correlation of VA with disease-related quality of life (QoL) is significantly greater than below this level.

Design: An observational, cross-sectional study.

Participants: A total of 184 patients with nAMD aged at least 50 years were included in the study.

The cost-utility of aflibercept for the treatment of age-related macular degeneration compared to bevacizumab and ranibizumab and the influence of model parameters.

Background: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a blinding disease placing considerable burden on society due to blindness-associated costs. Intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factors (anti-VEGFs) are effective in reducing the incidence of blindness, but at potentially high costs, depending on the cost of the drug used. Aflibercept has been introduced as an anti-VEGF equally effective to ranibizumab, but less costly.

A new epidemiological aid in deciding whether to continue or stop a treatment.

Purpose: To present a new epidemiological method relying on randomized controlled clinical trial (RCT) data to assess whether a treatment was effective, aiding in the decision to continue or stop the treatment in clinical patients.

Methods: A cutoff point is calculated in the change of a continuous outcome for which a proportion of treated patients clearly achieved a change better than this cutoff point as a result of the treatment. This cutoff point can then be applied to individual patients during routine therapy.

A systematic review of the adverse events of intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor injections.

Background: Intravitreal ranibizumab and pegaptanib are registered for neovascular age-related macular degeneration. No formal safety study has been conducted for intravitreal bevacizumab. These anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) drugs are being used on a large scale in daily practice for different ocular diseases.