AI Article Synopsis

  • - The study aimed to evaluate how the COVID-19 pandemic affected glaucoma patient adherence to medication and follow-up visits in the Nile Delta region of Egypt, comparing patient records from two different years (2019-2020 vs. 2020-2021).
  • - Results showed a significant drop in new diagnoses and regular follow-ups, with a notable increase in uncontrolled glaucoma cases and a decrease in the number of patients adhering to their treatment after the pandemic hit.
  • - The research concluded that financial issues were the primary reason for non-compliance (21.5%), followed by comorbidities, lockdown restrictions, and transportation challenges; it emphasized the need for telemedicine, better patient education, and enhanced glaucoma care services. *

Article Abstract

Objective: To assess the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on the medication adherence and follow-up of glaucoma patients in the Nile Delta region.

Setting: A tertiary care center in the Nile Delta region, Egypt.

Study Design: An observational, cross-sectional study.

Participants: Patients' records (2019-2020; group A) and (2020-2021; group B) were assessed for missed follow-up visits, medication adherence, number of trabeculectomies performed, and uncontrolled patients. In addition, a telephone-based questionnaire involving randomly chosen 200 patients from B.G.U. was carried out to clarify the potential causes of poor patients' compliance.

Results: There was a marked decline in the number of newly diagnosed patients and patients on regular follow-up with incidence rates 0.208 and 0.088 in group (A) and group (B), respectively (P-value < 0.0001). The number of compliant patients in group B decreased with an incidence rate difference of 0.312. The number of trabeculectomies declined in group (B) with an incidence rate in group (A) 0.131 compared to 0.081 in group (B). On the other hand, the number of uncontrolled glaucoma patients increased in group B with an incidence rate difference -0.231 between the two groups. 21.5% of patients who participated in the questionnaire identified financial issues as the leading cause of non-compliance. Comorbidities (19.5%), lockdown and transportation difficulties were also highlighted.

Conclusion: COVID-19 had greatly hampered glaucoma care in the Nile Delta region. As a result, we need to implement new technologies like telemedicine and improve patients' awareness of glaucoma care. Training orthoptists and using mobile glaucoma care services would also be helpful ways of managing glaucoma during that pandemic.

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Source
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8643220PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/OPTH.S342682DOI Listing

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