Abstract
Purpose: :
To evaluate the agreement among examiners and the S.T.A.R II (Scoring Toll for Assessing Risk) on clinical decisions for ocular hypertensive patients.
Methods: :
Twenty-eight ocular hypertensive patients enrolled the study. Data regarding age, ethnicity, past medical history, family history, visual acuity, intraocular pressure and central cornea thickness were collected and presented with a copy of the automated perimetry printout and a image of the optic disc to three glaucoma experts (A, B, C) that judged on personal experience the risk for glaucoma conversion and the decision to treat or not. Risk for glaucoma conversion was calculated by S.T.A.R. II. Agreement among examiners and S.T.A.R. II was evaluated by Cohen kappa statistics.
Results: :
The agreement among examiners A, B, C and the risk calculator was poor (k = -0.0550 , P = 0.1722). The agreement among examiners A, B and C was poor (k = -0.0123, P = 0.4396).
Conclusions: :
The level of agreement between glaucoma experts and the risk calculator was poor. Continuous upgrading of the calculator is deemed necessary in order to standardize the management of ocular hypertensive patients.
Keywords: clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: risk factor assessment • intraocular pressure • optic disc