Effectiveness of interventions to increase uptake and completion of treatment for diabetic retinopathy in low- and middle-income countries: a rapid review protocol.

Abstract

Background Vision loss due to diabetic retinopathy can largely be prevented or delayed through treatment. Patients with vision-threatening diabetic retinopathy are typically offered laser or intravitreal injections which often require more than one treatment cycle. However, treatment is not always initiated, or it is not completed, resulting in poor visual outcomes. Interventions aimed at improving the uptake or completion of treatment for diabetic retinopathy can potentially help prevent or delay visual loss in people with diabetes. Methods We will search MEDLINE, Embase, Global Health and Cochrane Register of Studies for studies reporting interventions to improve the uptake of treatment for diabetic retinopathy (DR) and/or diabetic macular oedema (DMO), compared with usual care, in adults with diabetes. The review will include studies published in the last 20 years in the English language. We will include any study design that measured any of the following outcomes in relation to treatment uptake and completion for DR and/or DMO: 1) Proportion of patients initiating treatment for DR and/or DMO among those to whom it is recommended, 2) Proportion of patients completing treatment for DR and/or DMO among those to whom it is recommended, 3)Proportion of patients completing treatment for DR and/or DMO among those initiating treatment, 4) Number and proportion of DR and/or DMO rounds from the recommended treatment protocol completed per patient. For included studies we will also report any measures of cost-effectiveness when available. Two reviewers will screen search results independently. Risk of bias assessment and data extraction will be done by one reviewer with verification of 10% of the papers by a second reviewer. The results will be synthesised narratively. Discussion This rapid review aims to identify and synthesise the peer-reviewed literature on the effectiveness of interventions to increase uptake and completion of treatment for DR and/or DMO in LMICs. The rapid review methodology was chosen in order to rapidly synthesise the available evidence to support program implementers and policy makers in designing evidence-based health programs, public health policy, and inform the allocation of resources. Rapid review registration OSF: osf.io/h5wgr

Effectiveness of interventions to increase uptake and completion of treatment for diabetic retinopathy in low- and middle-income countries: a rapid review protocol

“…The protocol was registered on the Open Science Framework (OSF): osf.io/h5wgr; more details are provided in Additional file 2. Any protocol amendments will be documented in the registration site [27].…”

Effectiveness of interventions to increase uptake and completion of treatment for diabetic retinopathy in low- and middle-income countries: a rapid review protocol.

“…Any protocol amendments will be documented in the registration site. 27 Eligibility Criteria Any interventional or observational comparative study.…”