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Thursday 9 August 2012

Age-Related Cataract Is Associated with Type 2 Diabetes and Statin Use


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Abstract

Purpose. Diabetes has been shown to be a risk factor for age-related (AR) cataract. As statins (HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors) are now commonly prescribed for patients with type 2 diabetes, their impact on AR cataract prevalence should be considered. This study determines associations between AR cataract, type 2 diabetes, and reported statin use in a large optometric clinic population.
Methods. In all, 6397 patient files (ages <1–93 years) were reviewed. Overall prevalence of statin use was calculated for patients with type 2 diabetes (n = 452) and without diabetes (n = 5884). Multivariable logistic regression analysis for AR cataract was performed controlling for patient sex, smoking, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and statin use.
Results. The prevalence of statin use (in patients aged >38 years) was 56% for those with type 2 diabetes and 16% for those without diabetes. Type 2 diabetes was significantly associated with nuclear sclerosis (OR = 1.62, 1.14–2.29) and cortical cataract (OR = 1.37, 1.02–1.83). Statin use was associated with nuclear sclerosis (OR = 1.48, 1.09–2.00) and posterior subcapsular cataract (OR = 1.48, 1.07–2.04). The 50% probability of cataract in statin users occurred at age 51.7 and 54.9 years in patients with type 2 diabetes and without diabetes, respectively. In non-statin users, it was significantly later at age 55.1 and 57.3 years for patients with type 2 diabetes and without diabetes, respectively (p < 0.001).
Conclusions. In this population, statin use was substantially higher in patients with type 2 diabetes and was associated with AR cataracts. Further long-term study is warranted to recommend monitoring of crystalline lenses in patients with type 2 diabetes benefiting from statins.
Full Study 
Graham

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Elderly people without diabetes have always had cataracts even before statins were introduced and it was always seen as age related. I doubt they were all undiagnosed diabetics.

Lowcarb team member said...

Anonymous said...
"Elderly people without diabetes have always had cataracts even before statins were introduced and it was always seen as age related. I doubt they were all undiagnosed diabetics."

Both diabetes and statin use were significantly associated with an increased rate of age-related cataracts.

Graham