Impact of photodynamic therapy on quality of life of patients with age-related macular degeneration in Korea

Abstract

Purpose: To assess quality of life (QOL) changes in patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) before and after treatment with photodynamic therapy (PDT).

Methods: In 625 patients with AMD, the EuroQol Health Questionnaire (EQ-5D) for general health status and the Visual Function Questionnaire (VF-4D) for vision-related reading ability, independence, and fear for the future were used and the results compared between within 1 week before PDT and 1 year after PDT. Subscale QOL changes were also scored with the Korean versions of EQ-5D and VF-4D.

Results: EQ-5D scores of male patients were higher than those of female patients (P < 0.05), and scores of unilateral patients were higher than those of bilateral patients (P < 0.001). Among all patients, 41.2% had a higher EQ-5D score after PDT. The mean differences between before and after treatment, estimated by three different models, the Korean model, the UK model, and the Japanese model, were all statistically significant (P < 0.001). Utility measured by the VF-4D score after PDT increased by 16.1% (P < 0.001), and subscale utilities indicated significant improvements in fear for the future (21.1%), reading ability (16.6%-14.5%), and independence (11.6%).

Conclusions: PDT for patients with AMD improved both general health-related QOL and vision-related QOL, as well as subscale scores, as evaluated by EQ-5D and VF-4D.