網膜色素変性症患者における自動車運転実態調査

A survey on driving ability in patients with retinitis pigmentosa

要約　目的：網膜色素変性症（RP）による視機能障害と自動車事故の関係を検討するため，RP患者の自動車運転実態調査を施行した。

対象と方法：自動車運転免許を有したことがあるRP患者40名を対象にアンケート調査を行った。過去5年間に事故歴がある事故群と，事故歴がない無事故群に分類し，年齢や性別，運転歴，視力，視野面積について比較を行った。また，免許返納者に対して返納した理由を質問した。

結果：無事故群は27人，事故群は13人で，視力と視野のデータが得られたのは，それぞれ19人と10人であった。両群間で年齢や運転歴，視力に差はなかったが，男性の比率は事故群で有意に高かった（p＜0.05）。良好眼の視野面積と両眼視野面積は，事故群で有意に狭かった（それぞれp＝0.02，0.03）。免許を返納した理由としては，事故を起こしてはいけないからという返答が最も多かった。

結論：RP患者では，視野面積が狭いほど自動車事故が起こる可能性が推定された。

Abstract　Purpose：To evaluate the relationship between visual dysfunction and automobile accidents in patients with retinitis pigmentosa（RP）.

Subjects and Methods：A questionnaire survey was provided to 40 patients with RP who held a driver's license at some point. The patients were classified into the accident group, in which there was an automobile accident history in the past 5 years, and the no-accident group, in which there was no automobile accident history. We compared age, sex, driving record, visual acuity, and visual field areas, between the two groups. In addition, we requested information about the reasons for which the patients returned their driving license.

Results：There were 27 patients in the no accident group, and 13 in the accident group. Data on visual acuity and visual fields were obtained from 19 and 10 patients in the no accident and accident groups, respectively. There were no differences in age, driving record, and visual acuity between the two groups, but the proportion of men was significantly higher in the accident group（p＜0.05）. The binocular visual field, and visual field area in the better eyes, were significantly narrower in the accident group（p＝0.02 and 0.03, respectively）. Most of the patients stated that they returned their licenses as they did not want to cause automobile accidents.

Conclusion：In patients with RP, the tendency for automobile accidents increased when the visual field area was narrower.