Abstract
Purpose: :
To re-investigate relation between biological, psychological, social, and cultural factors in patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) at one-year follow-up. Findings of the follow-up examination are compared to baseline.
Methods: :
Analysis of one-year follow-up from a prospective cohort study including 53 patients with recent onset AMD. Main outcome measures included best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), reading visual acuity (Radner charts), Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Symptom Check List (SCL-90), National Eye Institute Visual Functioning Questionnaire (NEI VFQ-25), Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), WHO Quality of Life (WHOQOL-BREF).
Results: :
Significant decrease of quality of life and high prevalence for depression, anxiety, and other emotional distress seems to be associated to AMD. Depressive and anxiety syndromes were the most common psychiatric disorders in this study population and were observed in over 30% of patients. Predictors are visual impairment, past psychiatric comorbidity, role and social functioning as well as gender factors. A significant number of mentally healthy patients at baseline developed psychiatric disorders within the follow-up period. In the majority of patients presenting with mental comorbidity at baseline the condition persisted.
Conclusions: :
Psychological and social effects of AMD play an important role in the long-term rehabilitation process of AMD patients. Multimodal therapeutic methods including psychopharmacological and behavioral strategies for patients demonstrating with mental syndromes are indicated. Development of feasible psychological screening procedures seems to be critical at onset and during course of AMD.
Keywords: age-related macular degeneration • quality of life