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Outcome of Patients Treated by Intravitreal Injections During the COVID-19 Lockdown: An Institutional Experience
Georges Sukkarieh1, Sophie Bonnin1, Georges Azar1
1Rothschild Foundation Hospital, Paris, France.
Current Eye Research
|April 6, 2023
Summary
COVID-19 lockdowns did not negatively impact patients with retinal diseases receiving anti-VEGF injections. Missing appointments did not affect visual acuity or complication rates one year later, highlighting the importance of consistent treatment.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Retinal Diseases
- Infectious Disease Epidemiology
Background:
- The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns disrupted healthcare services globally.
- Patients with chronic retinal diseases requiring regular anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) intravitreal injections (IVI) faced potential treatment interruptions.
- Understanding the impact of these disruptions on visual outcomes and complication rates is crucial for patient management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the rate and reasons for missed or delayed anti-VEGF IVIs during the COVID-19 lockdown.
- To evaluate the 1-year visual outcome and complication rate in patients with retinal diseases who missed injections compared to those who received them on time.
- To identify patient and hospital-related factors influencing treatment adherence during the lockdown.
Main Methods:
- A prospective descriptive cohort study was conducted from April 2020 to May 2021.
- Patients with retinal diseases receiving anti-VEGF IVIs since before October 2019 were included.
- Data on injection timing, reasons for delay, best-corrected distance visual acuity (BCVA), and ocular complications were collected over a 1-year follow-up period.
Main Results:
- During the lockdown, 17.5% of eyes had delayed or missed injections.
- No statistically significant difference in the change of mean BCVA or the rate of ocular complications was observed between patients who received timely injections and those who missed them at 1-year follow-up.
- Primary reasons for missed injections included hospital appointment cancellations (36%), fear of virus exposure during travel (21%), and fear of hospital exposure (15%).
Conclusions:
- The COVID-19 lockdown did not appear to negatively impact the 1-year visual outcome or complication rates for patients with retinal diseases undergoing anti-VEGF IVI, even if they missed scheduled treatments.
- Maintaining consistent intravitreal injections during lockdown periods and educating patients on the risks associated with missed appointments are vital for preserving the prognosis of retinal diseases.
- Hospital safety measures implemented during the lockdown were satisfactory for the majority of attending patients (84%).
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