Statin use is significantly associated with cataract requiring surgical intervention

This study was published in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology 2014 Dec;30(12):1613-9

Study title and authors:
Statin use and risk for cataract: a nested case-control study of 2 populations in Canada and the United States.

Wise SJ, Nathoo NA, Etminan M, Mikelberg FS, Mancini GB.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25475465

This study examined the effect of statin use on the risk of cataract and need for surgical intervention. Data was derived from two health databases: The British Columbia Ministry of Health database and the IMS LifeLink database (US health claims database). The British Columbia Ministry of Health database included 162,501 male and female cataract patients who were matched with 650,004 control subjects. The IMS LifeLink database comprised of male patients aged 40-85 years; 45,065 cataract patients were matched with 450,650 control subjects.

The study found:

(a) In the British Columbia group, statin users had a 27% increased risk of cataract requiring surgical intervention compared to nonusers.

(b) In the IMS LifeLink group, statin users had a 7% increased risk of cataract requiring surgical intervention compared to nonusers.

Wise concluded: "This study demonstrates that statin use is significantly associated with cataract requiring surgical intervention.".

 

 

 

Links to other studies:

Statin use is associated with a 57% increased risk of age-related cataract

The unintended adverse effects of statins in men and women

Statins increase the risk of cataracts by 20%