| Title: |
Racial and Gender Disparities in Clinical Trial Representation for Age-Related Macular Degeneration Treatments: A Scoping Review |
| Authors: |
Amirmohammad Shafiee; Taylor Juran; Iza Zabaneh; Deepkumar Patel; Karen Allison |
| Source: |
Journal of Clinical & Translational Ophthalmology ; Volume 3 ; Issue 3 ; Pages: 16 |
| Publisher Information: |
Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute |
| Publication Year: |
2025 |
| Collection: |
MDPI Open Access Publishing |
| Subject Terms: |
age-related macular degeneration; vascular endothelial growth factor; blindness; clinical trials |
| Description: |
Background/Objective: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of irreversible vision loss. Intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy is the primary treatment for neovascular AMD. This study aimed to assess racial, ethnic, and gender representation in U.S.-based randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of anti-VEGF therapies. Methods: A systematic PubMed search identified 19 eligible RCTs. Titles and abstracts were screened, and demographic data were independently extracted and cross-verified. Chi-squared analysis was used to evaluate disparities in participant representation. Risk of bias was assessed using the ROBIS checklist. Results: Among 8003 participants across 19 trials, 92.3% were Caucasian. Asian, African American, Hispanic/Latino, and American Indian participants collectively comprised just over 5%. This underrepresentation of non-Caucasian groups was statistically significant (p < 0.01, df = 4) and not associated with study sponsorship. Gender analysis showed 59% female and 41% male participation, which was not statistically significant (p = 0.83, df = 1). Conclusions: Non-Caucasian populations remain significantly underrepresented in anti-VEGF RCTs for AMD. This raises concerns about the generalizability of trial findings to diverse populations. Future clinical trials must prioritize inclusive recruitment to ensure equitable, evidence-based care for all patients. |
| Document Type: |
text |
| File Description: |
application/pdf |
| Language: |
English |
| Relation: |
https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/jcto3030016 |
| DOI: |
10.3390/jcto3030016 |
| Availability: |
https://doi.org/10.3390/jcto3030016 |
| Rights: |
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ |
| Accession Number: |
edsbas.56266EBE |
| Database: |
BASE |