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Abstract
Introduction:
Primary idiopathic epiretinal membrane (iERM) is a common finding in people aged 50 years or over. It is treated with vitrectomy. There are no definite criteria when to conduct surgery, and outcomes are variable. This systematic review assessed the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of vitrectomy surgery for iERM.
Material and methods:
The Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library and Scopus were searched. Prospective cohort studies, randomised controlled trials (RCTs), and health economics studies published from 2000 to May 2024 were included. The efficacy endpoint was the mean change in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) from baseline. Summarising effect estimates were used to synthesise results.
Results:
12 included studies (11 case series and 1 RCT) met the eligibility criteria. The length of the follow-up ranged from one week to two years after surgery. The majority of studies were carried out in Asia. Vitrectomy showed improvement in BCVA from baseline. The studies exhibited a wide range in the mean change of BCVA, with the greatest median change 12 months after surgery (0.29, IQR: 0.065). The RCT showed no significant difference between surgery and watchful waiting. Three studies used the National Eye Institute 25-Item Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI-VFQ-25) as their only patient-reported outcome to measure vision-related quality of life for iERM. The composite scores of NEI-VFQ-25 were significantly improved at 3 and 12 months after surgery. Vitrectomy surgery was found to be cost-effective from one included study, with an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of $4,680 per quality-adjusted life year gained.
Conclusion:
Vitrectomy surgery demonstrated improvement in BCVA from baseline, but the RCT with a watchful waiting group showed no significant difference. Vitrectomy surgery was cost-effective. An RCT comparing iERM vitrectomy surgery and either delayed surgery or no surgery, and a health economics evaluation of the intervention are needed to confirm the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of iERM vitrectomy surgery.
Trial registration: The protocol of this systematic review was registered on PROSPERO with ID CRD42024542913.
Primary idiopathic epiretinal membrane (iERM) is a common finding in people aged 50 years or over. It is treated with vitrectomy. There are no definite criteria when to conduct surgery, and outcomes are variable. This systematic review assessed the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of vitrectomy surgery for iERM.
Material and methods:
The Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library and Scopus were searched. Prospective cohort studies, randomised controlled trials (RCTs), and health economics studies published from 2000 to May 2024 were included. The efficacy endpoint was the mean change in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) from baseline. Summarising effect estimates were used to synthesise results.
Results:
12 included studies (11 case series and 1 RCT) met the eligibility criteria. The length of the follow-up ranged from one week to two years after surgery. The majority of studies were carried out in Asia. Vitrectomy showed improvement in BCVA from baseline. The studies exhibited a wide range in the mean change of BCVA, with the greatest median change 12 months after surgery (0.29, IQR: 0.065). The RCT showed no significant difference between surgery and watchful waiting. Three studies used the National Eye Institute 25-Item Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI-VFQ-25) as their only patient-reported outcome to measure vision-related quality of life for iERM. The composite scores of NEI-VFQ-25 were significantly improved at 3 and 12 months after surgery. Vitrectomy surgery was found to be cost-effective from one included study, with an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of $4,680 per quality-adjusted life year gained.
Conclusion:
Vitrectomy surgery demonstrated improvement in BCVA from baseline, but the RCT with a watchful waiting group showed no significant difference. Vitrectomy surgery was cost-effective. An RCT comparing iERM vitrectomy surgery and either delayed surgery or no surgery, and a health economics evaluation of the intervention are needed to confirm the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of iERM vitrectomy surgery.
Trial registration: The protocol of this systematic review was registered on PROSPERO with ID CRD42024542913.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Journal of Ophthalmology |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 4 Jan 2026 |
Keywords
- Systematic review
- Health economics
- epiretinal membrane
- Vitrectomy
- Cost-effectiveness
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The effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of vitrectomy surgery for primary idiopathic epiretinal membranes (iERMs): a systematic review
Doungsong, P., To Kwong, H., Hartfiel, N., Sandinha, D. T., Steel, P. D. & Edwards, R. T., 7 Aug 2024, NIHR PROSPERO (International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews).Research output: Other contribution › peer-review