Document Type

Article

Publication Date

5-1-2021

Comments

This article is the author’s final published version in Journal of Current Glaucoma Practice, Volume 15, Issue 2, May 2021, Pages 70-77.

The published version is available at https://doi.org/10.5005/jp-journals-10078-1303. Copyright © Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers.

Abstract

Importance: Few studies have analyzed associations between sociodemographic factors and neovascular glaucoma (NVG) outcomes.

Aim and background: To determine the potential impact of sociodemographic and economic factors on the NVG tube shunt surgery outcomes.

Design: Retrospective, single-center, comparative case series.

Participants: Consecutive patients who underwent tube shunt surgery for NVG and had ≥6 months of follow-up.

Materials and methods: Regional average adjusted gross income (AGI) was determined by cross-referencing self-reported residential zip codes with average AGI per zip code supplied by the Internal Revenue Service. Two groups were created: (1) lower-income: individuals from neighborhoods with the lowest 10% of AGI (near the United States poverty line), (2) higher-income: the remaining 90% of individuals.

Main outcome measures: Visual acuity (VA), intraocular pressure (IOP), and glaucoma medication number at 6 months and the most recent visit.

Results: The mean annual AGI in the higher-income group (130 patients) was $69,596 ± 39,700 and the lower-income group (16 patients) was $27,487 ± 1,600 (p < 0.001). Age, sex, distance to the clinic, language, and all baseline clinical variables (including VA and IOP) were comparable between groups. Lower-income was associated with non-white race (81.3 vs 52.3%; p = 0.024). At month 6, VA in the lower-income group [median: HM (20/70-NLP)] was worse than the higher-income group [median: CF (20/25-NLP)] (log MAR VA: 2.32 ± 0.8 vs 1.77 ± 1.1; p = 0.02); these trends persisted through the most recent visit (p = 0.043). Follow-up IOP and medications were similar between groups.

Conclusions and relevance: Lower-income may be associated with worse VA outcomes following NVG tube shunt surgery.

How to cite this article: Shalaby WS, Arbabi A, Myers JS, et al. Sociodemographic and Economic Factors in Outcomes of Tube Shunts for Neovascular Glaucoma. J Curr Glaucoma Pract 2021;15(2):70-77.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License

PubMed ID

34720496

Language

English

Included in

Ophthalmology Commons

Share

COinS