Ophthalmic Research
Original Paper
Some Plasma Constituents Correlate with Human Cataract Location and Nuclear ColourDonnelly C.A.a · Seth J.b · Clayton R.M.c · Phillips C.I.d · Cuthbert J.caCentre for Epidemiology of Infectious Disease, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, UK; bDepartment of Clinical Biochemistry, Royal Infirmary Edinburgh NHS Trust and University of Edinburgh, cICAPB Division of Biology, University of Edinburgh, and dOphthalmology Unit, Department of Surgery, University of Edinburgh, and Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion, Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh, Scotland
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Article / Publication Details
Received: April 16, 1996
Accepted: March 13, 1997
Published online: December 11, 2009
Issue release date: 1997
Number of Print Pages: 11
Number of Figures: 0
Number of Tables: 0
ISSN: 0030-3747 (Print)
eISSN: 1423-0259 (Online)
For additional information: https://www.karger.com/ORE
Abstract
Aims: To look for differences in levels of various plasma constituents between pair-matched controls and patients who had cataracts classified by location and appearance of lens opacity and nuclear colour in order to identify systemic risk factors. Methods: One thousand patients were taken from the cataract waiting list of a specialist eye hospital. For each patient, a matched control of the same sex and half-decade of age but without cataract was taken from the patient-list of the family doctor of the patient; the control was the next alphabetically after the patient on the doctor’s list. At an early morning visit to the homes of both patients and controls, fasting, a team of nurses performed venepunctures and collected information for a questionnaire. Eye examinations were performed by a team of ophthalmologists. Results: Predominantly nuclear cataract was significantly associated with raised plasma alanine aminotransferase and bilirubin, posterior subcapsular cataract with increased calcium and urea, cuneiform with reduced potassium, mature/hypermature with raised potassium and reduced total carbon dioxide. The following were consistently significantly associated with all forms of cataract: diabetes and raised plasma glucose (not in non-diabetics), use of steroid medication, raised levels of cortisol (steroid users excluded), albumin, alkaline phosphatase, γ-glutamyl transpeptidase, sodium and total protein and reduced levels of cholesterol and albumin/(total protein – albumin) ratio (an approximation for the albumin/globulin ratio). The multivariate analysis indicated that the most important non-specific cataractogenic effects were those of increased total protein, diabetes and use of steroid medication. Conclusion: This and other studies support, broadly, the conclusions that senile or age-related cataract is not merely caused by increasing age and also that various morphological types have different risk factors. The mechanisms underlying the biochemical associations with different patterns of lens opacification and the identification of the ultimate risk factors remain to be elucidated.
© 1997 S. Karger AG, Basel
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Article / Publication Details
Received: April 16, 1996
Accepted: March 13, 1997
Published online: December 11, 2009
Issue release date: 1997
Number of Print Pages: 11
Number of Figures: 0
Number of Tables: 0
ISSN: 0030-3747 (Print)
eISSN: 1423-0259 (Online)
For additional information: https://www.karger.com/ORE
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Copyright: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be translated into other languages, reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, microcopying, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.Drug Dosage: The authors and the publisher have exerted every effort to ensure that drug selection and dosage set forth in this text are in accord with current recommendations and practice at the time of publication. However, in view of ongoing research, changes in government regulations, and the constant flow of information relating to drug therapy and drug reactions, the reader is urged to check the package insert for each drug for any changes in indications and dosage and for added warnings and precautions. This is particularly important when the recommended agent is a new and/or infrequently employed drug.
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