Clinical Science
Stephen S. Feman, MD, MPH; Jiajing Chen, MPH; Thomas E. Burroughs, PhD
- Ophthalmic Surgery, Lasers and Imaging
- July/August 2012 - Volume 43 · Issue 4: 270-274
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DOI: 10.3928/15428877-20120618-02
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE:Diabetic blindness occurs most often among working-age people. Panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) can prevent this outcome. Administrative data examined changes in PRP incidence rates.
PATIENTS AND METHODS:Anonymous data from the “claims submitted” files of an insurer with nationwide representation was used. This health insurance was a job benefit, and the sample included 6,085,750 U.S. employees and their dependents. Those who received PRP for diabetic retinopathy were compared to all others with diabetes mellitus. Although some enrollees had more than one PRP procedure, each procedure was considered a unique event. The rate change was evaluated by chi-square tests with post hoc tests for pair-wise comparisons.
RESULTS:A total of 14,856 PRP procedures were performed. An incidence rate reduction from 0.95% to 0.67% (chi-square = 243.6818, P < .0001) was found within the study interval.
CONCLUSION:The incidence of PRP was reduced in this sample of U.S. workers and their dependents.
AUTHORS
From the Department of Ophthalmology at the School of Medicine (SSF) and the Center for Outcomes Research (SSF, JC, TEB), Saint Louis University, St. Louis, Missouri.
Supported by Saint Louis University internal faculty sources.
The authors have no financial or proprietary interest in the materials presented herein.
Address correspondence to Stephen S. Feman, MD, MPH, Saint Louis University Eye Institute, 1755 South Grand Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63104. E-mail: Femanss@slu.edu
Received: February 03, 2012
Accepted: March 18, 2012
doi: 10.3928/15428877-20120618-02