Financial impact on glaucoma surgical treatment

Abstract Objective: The second leading cause of blindness worldwide, glaucoma, occasionally requires surgical procedure for control. Given that Brazil has an Unified Health System (SUS) and a political-economic crisis in 2016, we aim to evaluate the financial impact on the therapeutic decision of glaucoma in the last 6 years in Brazil, and to consider the current discussion about early interventionist indication in its therapeutic algorithm. Methods: Ecological study of the Brazilian population, based on the SUS Hospital Information System, evaluating the temporal behavior of SUS surgical procedures on glaucoma treatment, and dollar variation as influencing the temporal trend on the procedures. Simple Linear Regression analysis was performed, with statistical significance of P <0.05. Results: Between 2013 and 2018, 24888 individuals were hospitalized for glaucoma, male prevalence (51.68%), whites (32.57%) and elderly (57.84%). Southeast (45.61%) and Northeast (26.36%) Regions with the largest number of hospitalizations, and Trabeculectomy (84.18%) being the main procedure performed. There was an association of trabeculectomy and valve implantation, individually and linked, with dollar values in the Midwest (β = 1.103 with P = 0.007 for Trabeculectomies and β = 1.105 with P = 0.012 for both procedures) and South (β). = 16,727 and P = 0,006 for Implants), and association between increased Implants in the South region and greater coverage in primary care (β = 0.64 and P = 0.009). Conclusion: Non-dollar interference was observed, and increased procedures in the South and Midwest. The results corroborate an interventionist tendency and may be represented, possible, by the use of procedures provided by the SUS in an early manner.