ABSTRACT
Aims: To evaluate associations between vision-related (VR-) and health-related (HR-) QoL metrics and inflammation and treatment in non-acute VKHD patients.
Methods: Cross-sectional study in a tertiary center in Sao Paulo, Brazil with 22 patients with non-acute VKHD followed prospectively for ≥12 months since acute disease onset, with systematic evaluation and predefined treatment protocols. VR- and HR-QoL aspects were assessed by VFQ-25 and SF-36 questionnaires, respectively. Associations between the questionnaire’s subscale item scores with inflammation and systemic medical therapies were assessed.
Results: After generalized linear model analysis, worse VA, severe fundus changes, fluctuation of VA and fluctuation of anterior chamber cells impacted negatively on VR-QoL items. Higher cumulative total dose of corticosteroids and use of immunosuppressive therapy impacted negatively on both questionnaires.
Conclusion: Worse VA, clinical inflammation and systemic treatment have a significant impact on VR- and HR-QoL questionnaires. Subclinical choroidal inflammation did not seem to impact QoL.
Declaration of interest
The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the article.
Role of the funder/sponsor
The funding source had no role in the design and conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis, and interpretation of the data; preparation, review, or approval of the manuscript; and decision to submit the manuscript for publication.
Author contributions
Definition of study design: Yamamoto JH; data collection: Souto FMS, Missaka RFBG, Magalhães BM, Caetano VMC, Takiuti JT; analysis and interpretation of data: all authors; manuscript writing: Souto FMS, Yamamoto JH; critical review and approval of the manuscript: all authors.