Ayele Fisseha A, Zeraye Banchamelak, Assefa Yared, Legesse Kbrom, Azale Telake, Burton Matthew J
Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, P O Box 196, Gondar, Ethiopia.
Department of optometry, School of Medicine, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia.
BMC Ophthalmol. 2017 Dec 13;17(1):248. doi: 10.1186/s12886-017-0643-8.
Glaucoma is a chronic disease characterized by irreversible optic nerve damage and visual field loss that leads to visual impairment and blindness; ultimately limiting personal independence and compromising overall quality of life of affected individuals. There is paucity of information on how glaucoma affects the quality of life of patients in low and middle-income countries where resources for both diagnosis and treatment of such conditions are limited. In this study we investigate the impact of glaucoma on quality of life in Ethiopian patients.
The quality of life of 307 glaucoma patients and 76 normal controls that were frequency matched to the age and sex profiles of the cases was assessed using Amharic version of Glaucoma Quality of Life -15 questionnaire. Linear regression models and the t-test were employed to compare significant differences in GQL-15 scores and to generate mean and mean differences between cases and controls respectively.
The mean GQL-15 score in the glaucoma cases was substantially higher (indicating poorer quality of life) than the controls [cases 46.3 (95% CI, 28.8-63.8) and controls 18.6 (95% CI, 15.2-22.0), p < 0.0001]. Cases with normal visual acuity and mild glaucoma had significantly higher scores than the controls. Poorer quality of life was associated with age ≥ 71 years old 51.1 (95%CI, 26.2-75.9), rural residence 55.7 (95%CI, 49.9-61.5), monthly income of <400 Birr (53.1; 95%CI, 50.5-55.6), diagnosis time 1-5 years (49.6; 95%CI, 41.2-57.9), severe visual impairment (70.5; 95%CI, 58.1-82.8), and advanced glaucoma (50.9; 95%CI, 43.6-58.3).
These glaucoma patients, including those with normal visual acuity and early disease, had poorer quality of life compared to normal controls. Older age, rural residence, low income and more advanced disease were significantly associated with poorer quality of life. There is a need to increase awareness of the impact of glaucoma among clinicians, patients and their families, for a better understanding of the impact this disease has on a person's life.
青光眼是一种慢性疾病，其特征为不可逆的视神经损伤和视野缺损，可导致视力损害和失明；最终限制个人独立性并损害患者的整体生活质量。在中低收入国家，有关青光眼如何影响患者生活质量的信息匮乏，因为这些国家用于此类疾病诊断和治疗的资源有限。在本研究中，我们调查了青光眼对埃塞俄比亚患者生活质量的影响。
使用阿姆哈拉语版的青光眼生活质量-15问卷，对307例青光眼患者和76例年龄和性别与病例相匹配的正常对照者的生活质量进行评估。采用线性回归模型和t检验分别比较青光眼生活质量-15评分的显著差异，并得出病例组和对照组的均值及均值差异。
青光眼病例组的青光眼生活质量-15平均得分显著高于对照组（表明生活质量较差）[病例组46.3（95%可信区间，28.8 - 63.8），对照组18.6（95%可信区间，15.2 - 22.0），p < 0.0001]。视力正常和轻度青光眼的病例得分显著高于对照组。生活质量较差与年龄≥71岁（51.1；95%可信区间，26.2 - 75.9）、农村居住（55.7；95%可信区间，49.9 - 61.5）、月收入<400比尔（53.1；95%可信区间，50.5 - 55.6）、诊断时间1 - 5年（49.6；95%可信区间，41.2 - 57.9）、严重视力损害（70.5；95%可信区间，58.1 - 82.8）以及晚期青光眼（50.9；95%可信区间，43.6 - 58.3）相关。
与正常对照者相比，这些青光眼患者，包括视力正常和疾病早期的患者，生活质量较差。年龄较大、农村居住、低收入和疾病进展更严重与较差的生活质量显著相关。有必要提高临床医生、患者及其家属对青光眼影响的认识，以便更好地理解这种疾病对个人生活的影响。
