Pennisi Flavia, Gentile Leandro, Borlini Stefania, Gianfredi Vincenza, Signorelli Carlo
Faculty of Medicine, University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy.
PhD National Programme in One Health approaches to infectious diseases and life science research, Department of Public Health, Experimental and Forensic Medicine, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
Ann Ig. 2025 Jul-Aug;37(4):532-555. doi: 10.7416/ai.2025.2676. Epub 2025 Jan 15.
Glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and age-related macular degeneration impose substantial economic burdens on healthcare systems due to their high prevalence and chronic nature. Nevertheless, comprehensive Italian data is limited. This study aims to collect Italian evidence on the economic impact of these conditions to support more effective healthcare planning.
Systematic review.
A systematic literature search was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines across PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and EMBASE databases. Studies reporting cost evaluations of managing glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and age-related macular degeneration in Italy were included. Direct, indirect and non-medical costs were considered.
The review included 23 studies exhibiting considerable heterogeneity in timeframes, regions, and economic evaluation approaches. For glaucoma, annual direct costs ranged from €788.70 for early-stage cases to €8,368.51 for advanced cases requiring surgery. Annual costs associated with diabetic retinopathy ranged from €4,050 to €5,799 per patient, depending on disease severity and treatment approach. The financial burden of age-related macular degeneration varied considerably, with costs ranging from €1,399.20 for early-stage cases to €3,973.30 for advanced stages. Although non-medical and indirect costs, such as lost productivity and caregiving expenses were less frequently assessed, they represented a significant contributor to the overall financial burden.
This study highlights the substantial economic burden ocular diseases place on the Italian healthcare system. Early intervention and preventive strategies could reduce the long-term costs of managing diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration. Further research into indirect costs and cost-effective interventions is necessary to support more efficient healthcare resource allocation.
青光眼、糖尿病视网膜病变和年龄相关性黄斑变性因其高患病率和慢性性质给医疗保健系统带来了巨大的经济负担。然而，意大利的全面数据有限。本研究旨在收集有关这些疾病经济影响的意大利证据，以支持更有效的医疗保健规划。
系统评价。
根据PRISMA指南，在PubMed、Scopus、Web of Science和EMBASE数据库中进行了系统的文献检索。纳入了报告意大利青光眼、糖尿病视网膜病变和年龄相关性黄斑变性管理成本评估的研究。考虑了直接、间接和非医疗成本。
该评价纳入了23项研究，这些研究在时间框架、地区和经济评估方法上存在相当大的异质性。对于青光眼，早期病例的年度直接成本从788.70欧元到需要手术的晚期病例的8368.51欧元不等。糖尿病视网膜病变患者的年度成本为每人4050欧元至5799欧元，具体取决于疾病严重程度和治疗方法。年龄相关性黄斑变性的经济负担差异很大，早期病例的成本从1399.20欧元到晚期病例的3973.30欧元不等。尽管非医疗和间接成本，如生产力损失和护理费用评估较少，但它们是总体经济负担的重要组成部分。
本研究强调了眼部疾病给意大利医疗保健系统带来的巨大经济负担。早期干预和预防策略可以降低糖尿病视网膜病变和年龄相关性黄斑变性管理的长期成本。有必要进一步研究间接成本和成本效益高的干预措施，以支持更有效的医疗资源分配。
