[The analysis of concomitant pathology in ophthalmologic practice based on electronic medical records data]

The study substantiates possibility of using data retrieved from electronic medical records (EMR) for analyzing comorbidity under diseases of the eye and its adnexa. The purpose of the study is to analyze prevalence and evaluate risk of development of comorbidity in patients with ophthalmologic pathology, based on the data presented in EMR. The total number of patients included into comprised 12 120 individuals. The 653 diagnoses were established and 122 703 requests for medical care were registered. The calculation was applied concerning prevalence, comorbidity index, relative risk of comorbidity. The study established prevalence and level of relative risk of development of opportunistic diseases characteristic for senile cataract and glaucoma. The obtained data on comorbidity may testify in-depth mechanisms of interaction of diseases at cellular, protein or genetic levels. The understanding of mechanisms of interaction of main and concomitant diseases can result in development of new methods of diagnostic, treatment and prevention of diseases. Thus, establishment of glaucoma diagnosis can induce physician to look for possible presence or high probability of development of prostate neoplasm that implies periodic control of prostate-specific antigen. The presented results demonstrate how EMR data can be used to identify, estimate prevalence and risk of comorbidity and also reveals pathogenic mechanisms of interaction between primary and recurrent diseases that can be applied in clinical practice.