Defining Outcome Measures for Non-Advanced Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Strategic Insights -

A team of international experts has collaborated to establish a standardized set of outcome measures for patients affected by non-advanced age-related macular degeneration (AMD). This consensus statement, published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology, aims to facilitate global data collection and longitudinal research on the condition. The study employed a Delphi consensus process, involving six rounds of anonymous surveys and face-to-face meetings to establish a minimum set of 28 outcome measures. These measures have been designated as mandatory, optional, or required only at baseline, annual, or clinical assessment.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Delphi consensus process involved a panel of 24 international experts in treatment outcome registries, imaging, nutrition, and other AMD aspects.
  • The minimum set of 28 outcome measures includes demographic characteristics, health factors, functional, imaging, and clinical outcomes.
  • The mandatory measures are designated as 24 fields, while the remaining are deemed optional or required only at specific intervals.
  • The consensus statement may help elucidate the natural progression of non-advanced AMD and its response to new therapies.
  • The study has implications for real-world data collection registries, enabling the gathering of comprehensive and longitudinally extensive clinical data globally.
  • The research has been peer-reviewed and published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology.
  • The study group includes experts from various institutions and organizations, including UniversitatsSpital Zurich and the BMJ Publishing Group.
  • The research has potential applications in understanding the progression of non-advanced AMD and its response to new treatments.

Statistics:

  • 28 outcome measures were developed and approved by the expert panel.
  • 24 fields were designated as mandatory.
  • 12 measures are to be assessed annually for changes.
  • 5 measures are required only at baseline.
  • 6 rounds of surveys and face-to-face meetings were conducted.
  • Additional authors include Mariano Cozzi, Konstantinos Balaskas, Christine A. Curcio, Francesco Viola, Hemal Mehta, Javier Zarranz-Ventura, Kelvin Yi Chong Teo, Louise O'Toole, John Nolan, Marina Green-Gomez, Elizabeth J. Johnson, Jennifer Arnold, and Giovanni Staure.

Sources:

  • NewsRx. Study Data from Sandrine Zweifel and Co-Authors Update Knowledge of Age-Related Macular Degeneration. [Minimum set of outcome measures for non-advanced age-related macular degeneration: a Delphi consensus statement by the TRACER (intermediate ...]. Health & Medicine Week. October 24, 2025; p 7843.
  • Minimum set of outcome measures for non-advanced age-related macular degeneration: a Delphi consensus statement by the TRACER (intermediate age-related macular degeneration) study group. British Journal of Ophthalmology, 2025.