The psychological status of patients with delayed intravitreal injection for treatment of diabetic macular edema due to the COVID–19 pandemic

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 18; no. 8; p. e0290260
• Main Authors: Zaini, Mohamad Azlan, Mohd Zain, Ayesha, Din, Norshamsiah Md, Mustapha, Mushawiahti, Sidi, Hatta
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 25.08.2023; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Analysis; Anxiety; Biology and Life Sciences; Care and treatment; Clinical medicine; Complications and side effects; COVID-19; COVID-19 - epidemiology; Cross-Sectional Studies; Depression, Mental; Diabetes; Diabetes Mellitus; Diabetic Retinopathy - complications; Diabetic Retinopathy - drug therapy; Diabetic Retinopathy - epidemiology; Diagnosis; Disease transmission; Dropsy; Edema; Epidemics; Eye diseases; Families & family life; Female; Growth factors; Health aspects; Humans; Injection; Intravitreal Injections; Macular Edema - drug therapy; Macular Edema - epidemiology; Malaysia; Male; Medical research; Medicine and Health Sciences; Medicine, Experimental; Mental depression; Mental disorders; Mental health; Middle Aged; Ophthalmology; Pandemics; Patients; Psychiatry; Risk factors; Severe acute respiratory syndrome; Social Sciences; Statistical analysis; Stress; Stress (Psychology); Vascular endothelial growth factor; Vision; Young Adult; Malaysia; China
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0290260

Since the enforcement of the Movement Control Order (MCO) to contain the spread of COVID -19 infection in Malaysia, most clinic appointments have been rescheduled and procedures and surgeries postponed to a later date. Clinic appointments including intravitreal endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) treatment for patients with diabetic macular edema (DME) were also no exception to the postponement. This measure takes a psychological toll on patients because of the overwhelming concern for their eye condition. This study was conducted to assess the psychological status of DME patients with delayed anti-VEGF treatment during the pandemic. A cross-sectional study was conducted from September 2020 to March 2021 in Ophthalmology Clinic Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (HCTM UKM). Subjects diagnosed with center-involved DME aged between 20 to 80 years who experienced delayed anti-VEGF injection were recruited. Level of depression, anxiety and stress were assessed using DASS-21 questionnaire. Statistical analysis using non-parametric tests were performed to determine the relationship between the DASS-21 score and duration of last injection, in those whose vision was affected by delayed injection and the relationship to the impact of COVID-19 pandemic. Statistical significance was denoted as p < 0.05. A total of 86 respondents with median age of 69 years old participated in this study. Most respondents were Malays (n = 47,54.7%) males (n = 51, 59.3%), had education up to secondary level (n = 37, 43%), unemployed (n = 78, 90.7%), married (n = 72, 83.7%) and living with their family (n = 82, 95.3%). The number of intravitreal injections received was at least three times among the respondents (n = 81, 94.2%). More than half of the respondents (n = 46, 53.5%) had been postponed for more than 12 weeks and felt that their vision was affected after delayed intravitreal injection (n = 47, 54.7%). Most of the subjects did not experience depression, anxiety, or stress. However, there was a significant level of stress scores among those with delayed injection of 9 to 12 weeks (p = 0.004), and significant anxiety (p = 0.029) and stress (p = 0.014) scores found in subjects with vision affected due to delayed treatment. The level of anxiety and stress can be significant in DME patients who experienced delay in intravitreal anti-VEGF treatment. Assessment of psychosocial impacts is important to identify early mental health issues potentially leading to the onset of psychiatry illness, thus early intervention is indispensable.