Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39121177›Full record

ArticlePloS one2024

Utility values and electronic device use in low-vision people attending rehabilitation services: Data from a nation-wide registry in Italy.

Gianni Virgili, Eliana Costanzo, Ilaria Biagini, Mariacristina Parravano, Alessia Di Simone, Filippo Amore, Mauro Tettamanti, Simona Di Pietro, Giovanni L Ciaffoni, Giovanni Sato and 2 more

Abstract readMulticenter Study
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Trial
  2. 'Such a lot of bother': Qualitative results of a home trial of a wearable electronic vision enhancement system for people with age-related macular degeneration.Ophthalmic & physiological optics : the journal of the British College of Ophthalmic Opticians (Optometrists) · 2025
    Trial
  3. The Evolving Landscape of Vision Rehabilitation: Current Status and Future Directions.Ophthalmic & physiological optics : the journal of the British College of Ophthalmic Opticians (Optometrists) · 2026
    Review
  4. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Gianni VirgiliDepartment Neurofarba, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
Eliana CostanzoIRCCS-Fondazione Bietti, Rome, Italy.ORCID 0000-0002-9916-8895
Ilaria BiaginiDepartment Neurofarba, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
Mariacristina ParravanoIRCCS-Fondazione Bietti, Rome, Italy.
Alessia Di SimoneUnione Italiana dei Ciechi e degli Ipovedenti Onlus-Sezione Territoriale di Enna, Enna, Italy.
Filippo AmoreNational Centre of Services and Research for the Prevention of Blindness and Rehabilitation of Visually Impaired, IAPB- Italia Onlus, Rome, Italy.
Mauro TettamantiIstituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Milan, Italy.
Simona Di PietroAzienda Ospedaliera Policlinico Tor Vergata, Roma, Italy.
Giovanni L CiaffoniIstituto dei Ciechi F. Cavazza, Bologna, Italy.
Giovanni SatoCentro Oculistico S. Paolo Hospital, S. Antonio Padova, Padova, Italy.
Giovanni GiacomelliDepartment Neurofarba, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
Federico BartolomeiIstituto dei Ciechi F. Cavazza, Bologna, Italy.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeTo estimate utility values associated with visual loss using EuroQol (EQ-5D) questionnaire, the impact of low-vision (LV) device use on utilities and the contribution of Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) score in patients attending vision rehabilitation (VR) services enrolled in the Italian Device & Aids Register (D.A.Re).

methodsThis is a multicenter, prospective, cross-sectional study. D.A.Re. collects general and clinical information, vision-specific variables, use of electronic devices and quality of life questionnaires.

resultsA total of 442 patients (75.0±16.6 years, 275 female) were included, 88 (19.9%) used specialised electronic LV devices, and 116 (26.2%) used smartphones and tablets. Users of smartphones and tablets were younger than non-users (67.5 vs. 77.6 years, p<0.001), but overall, their age ranged between 20 and 93. Stronger associations were found between vision-specific variables and IADL score compared to EQ-5D score. In multivariable age-adjusted models, the utility value of using smartphones and tablets on EQ-5D score was 0.12 (p<0.01), slightly larger than that of 1.0 logMAR difference (-0.09, p<0.01) or visual field damage within 10° of fixation (-0.10, p<0.01). Use of portable low-vision electronic devices and being employed or student (vs. retired) was also associated with better utility values (0.12 and 0.15, respectively, p<0.05).

conclusionsVisual loss is associated with loss of utilities in Italian patients attending VR services, whereas special-purpose electronic aids, and smartphone and tablet use are associated with better utility values. We found that IADL may be more sensitive to visual loss than EQ-5D and could be a valid health-related quality of life outcome in trials on VR.

Indexed as

Activities of Daily LivingQuality of LifeRegistriesSmartphoneVision, LowAdultAgedAged, 80 and overCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansItalyMaleMiddle AgedProspective StudiesSurveys and Questionnaires

Identifiers

PMID39121177
PMCPMC11315328

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.