The impact of microbial keratitis on quality of life in Uganda.

bacterial keratitis blindness fungal keratitis microbial keratitis quality of life uganda

Journal

BMJ open ophthalmology
ISSN: 2397-3269
Titre abrégé: BMJ Open Ophthalmol
Pays: England
ID NLM: 101714806

Informations de publication

Date de publication:
2019
Historique:
received: 04 06 2019
revised: 04 09 2019
accepted: 01 12 2019
entrez: 8 1 2020
pubmed: 8 1 2020
medline: 8 1 2020
Statut: epublish

Résumé

Microbial keratitis (MK) is a frequent cause of sight loss in sub-Saharan Africa. However, no studies have formally measured its impact on quality of life (QoL) in this context. As part of a nested case-control design for risk factors of MK, we recruited patients presenting with MK at two eye units in Southern Uganda between December 2016 and March 2018 and unaffected individuals, individually matched for sex, age and location. QoL was measured using WHO Health-Related and Vision-Related QoL tools (at presentation and 3 months after start of treatment in cases). Mean QoL scores for both groups were compared. Factors associated with QoL among the cases were analysed in a linear regression model. 215 case-controls pairs were enrolled. The presentation QoL scores for the cases ranged from 20 to 65 points. The lowest QoL was visual symptom domain; mean 20.7 (95% CI 18.8 to 22.7) and the highest was psychosocial domain; mean 65.6 (95% CI 62.5 to 68.8). At 3 months, QoL scores for the patients ranged from 80 to 90 points while scores for the controls ranged from 90 to 100. The mean QoL scores of the cases were lower than controls across all domains. Determinants of QoL among the cases at 3 months included visual acuity at 3 months and history of eye loss. MK severely reduces QoL in the acute phase. With treatment and healing, QoL subsequently improves. Despite this improvement, QoL of someone affected by MK (even with normal vision) remains lower than unaffected controls.

Sections du résumé

BACKGROUND BACKGROUND
Microbial keratitis (MK) is a frequent cause of sight loss in sub-Saharan Africa. However, no studies have formally measured its impact on quality of life (QoL) in this context.
METHODS METHODS
As part of a nested case-control design for risk factors of MK, we recruited patients presenting with MK at two eye units in Southern Uganda between December 2016 and March 2018 and unaffected individuals, individually matched for sex, age and location. QoL was measured using WHO Health-Related and Vision-Related QoL tools (at presentation and 3 months after start of treatment in cases). Mean QoL scores for both groups were compared. Factors associated with QoL among the cases were analysed in a linear regression model.
RESULTS RESULTS
215 case-controls pairs were enrolled. The presentation QoL scores for the cases ranged from 20 to 65 points. The lowest QoL was visual symptom domain; mean 20.7 (95% CI 18.8 to 22.7) and the highest was psychosocial domain; mean 65.6 (95% CI 62.5 to 68.8). At 3 months, QoL scores for the patients ranged from 80 to 90 points while scores for the controls ranged from 90 to 100. The mean QoL scores of the cases were lower than controls across all domains. Determinants of QoL among the cases at 3 months included visual acuity at 3 months and history of eye loss.
CONCLUSION CONCLUSIONS
MK severely reduces QoL in the acute phase. With treatment and healing, QoL subsequently improves. Despite this improvement, QoL of someone affected by MK (even with normal vision) remains lower than unaffected controls.

Identifiants

pubmed: 31909191
doi: 10.1136/bmjophth-2019-000351
pii: bmjophth-2019-000351
pmc: PMC6936408
doi:

Types de publication

Journal Article

Langues

eng

Pagination

e000351

Subventions

Organisme : Wellcome Trust
ID : 207472/Z/17/Z
Pays : United Kingdom
Organisme : Medical Research Council
ID : MR/R010161/1
Pays : United Kingdom

Informations de copyright

© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2019. Re-use permitted under CC BY. Published by BMJ.

Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts

Competing interests: None declared.

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Auteurs

Simon Arunga (S)

Department of Clinical Research, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK, UK.
Department of Ophthalmology, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda.

Geoffrey Wiafe (G)

Department of Ophthalmology, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda.

Esmael Habtamu (E)

London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine International Centre for Eye Health, London, UK.
Carter Center, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

John Onyango (J)

Department of Ophthalmology, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda.

Stephen Gichuhi (S)

Department of Ophthalmology, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya.
Department of Clinical Research, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK.

Astrid Leck (A)

ITD/CRU, LSHTM, London, UK.

David Macleod (D)

Department of Medical Statistics, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK.

Victor Hu (V)

International Centre for Eye Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.

Matthew Burton (M)

Clinical Research Department, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.

Classifications MeSH