The effect of psychotherapy on anxiety, depression, and quality of life in patients with diabetic retinopathy A protocol for systematic review and network meta-analysis

Background: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is one of the common microvascular complications in diabetic patients, which is characterized by progressive development and often leads to irreversible visual impairment. More seriously, DR patients suffer great psychological stress due to impaired visual function and reduced self-care ability such as anxiety and depression, which seriously affect the quality of life of patients. In recent years, various psychological therapies have been applied to alleviate anxiety, depression, and quality of life in DR patients, which have achieved positive results. However, the effectiveness and safety of different psychological therapies are unclear. This study aims to assess the effects of psychotherapy on anxiety, depression, and quality of life in DR patients through a network meta-analysis. Methods: All randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the effects of psychotherapy on anxiety, depression, and quality of life in patients with DR published before 30 November 30, 2021, will be searched in the PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Register of Controlled Trials, Web of Science, Chinese Scientific Journal Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database, Wanfang, and China Biomedical Literature Database. There will have no restrictions on publication status and language. Two researchers will be independently responsible for RCT screening, data extraction, and quality evaluation. All statistical analyses will be performed using Stata 14.0 and R 4.1.2. Results: The results of this meta-analysis will be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal for publication. Conclusion: This study will provide comprehensive and reliable evidence-based references for elucidating the efficacy of psychotherapy on anxiety, depression, and quality of life in DR patients. Ethics and dissemination: Ethical approval was not required for this study. The systematic review will be published in a peer-reviewed journal, presented at conferences, and shared on social media platforms. OSF Registration number: DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/K8T27.