PubMed ID: 15955983
Author(s): Globe DR, Varma R, Torres M, Wu J, Klein R, Azen SP; Los Angeles Latino Eye Study Group. Self-reported comorbidities and visual function in a population-based study: the Los Angeles Latino Eye Study. Arch Ophthalmol. 2005 Jun;123(6):815-21. PMID 15955983
Journal: Archives Of Ophthalmology (Chicago, Ill. : 1960), Volume 123, Issue 6, Jun 2005
OBJECTIVE To assess the association of self-reported systemic and ocular comorbid disease and visual function in Latino subjects.
METHODS National Eye Institute 25-item Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI-VFQ-25) and eye examination data were obtained from 5380 participants in the Los Angeles Latino Eye Study, a population-based prevalence study of eye disease in Latino subjects 40 years and older. We developed and contrasted 5 comorbidity measures. One-way analysis of variance was used to assess the association between comorbidity and visual impairment and self-reported visual function. Regression analyses determined the association of sociodemographic variables, clinical variables, and the best measure of comorbidity with the NEI-VFQ-25 composite score. The main outcome measure was self-reported visual function as assessed by the NEI-VFQ-25 composite score.
RESULTS On average, visual function subscale scores were lowest for those participants with the most systemic comorbid conditions (P<.05). This was more evident in participants with moderate or severe visual impairment compared with those with mild or no visual impairment (P<.05).
CONCLUSIONS Self-reported systemic comorbidities were associated with self-reported visual function. This association was greater at more severe levels of visual impairment. Of the 5 comorbidity measures assessed, the measure that summed the number of self-reported systemic comorbidities correlated most with self-reported visual function.