Statin use may reduce risk of cataracts
Clinical Question
Do statins reduce the risk of cataracts?
Bottom Line
Statin use is associated with a reduced incidence of nuclear cataracts, the most common type of age-related cataracts. However, this type of study design (prospective cohort study) does not prove a causal relationship between the use of statins and lower risk of developing cataracts. It is possible that other confounding variables (eg, genetics or patient compliance) are causally related. (LOE = 2b)
Reference
Klein BE, Klein R, Lee KE, Grady LM. Statin use and incident nuclear cataract. JAMA 2006;295:2752-2758. [PMID:16788130]
Study Design
Cohort (prospective)
Funding
Foundation
Setting
Population-based
Synopsis
These investigators analyzed data obtained from an observational, longitudinal study of age-related eye disease in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin. A total of 1299 adults with gradable photographs in both eyes underwent evaluation for nuclear cataracts, the most common type of age-related cataract, 5 years after the start of the study. Almost all (99%) of the population was non-Hispanic white. Individuals assessing outcomes were blinded to participant identity and drug use. The 5-year incidence of nuclear cataract was 12.2% in statin users compared with 17.2% in nonusers (odds ratio = 0.55; 95% CI, 0.36-0.84). The reduced incidence for statin users remained significant after controlling for age, sex, smoking, lipid level, and diabetes. The incidence of other types of cataracts, including cortical and posterior subcapsular, was not significantly reduced.
Citation
Barry, Henry, et al., editors. "Statin Use May Reduce Risk of Cataracts." EE+ POEM Archive, John Wiley & Sons, 2024. Evidence Central, evidence.unboundmedicine.com/evidence/view/infoPOEMs/426458/all/Statin_use_may_reduce_risk_of_cataracts.
Statin use may reduce risk of cataracts. In: Barry HH, Ebell MHM, Shaughnessy AFA, et al, eds. EE+ POEM Archive. John Wiley & Sons; 2024. https://evidence.unboundmedicine.com/evidence/view/infoPOEMs/426458/all/Statin_use_may_reduce_risk_of_cataracts. Accessed December 7, 2024.
Statin use may reduce risk of cataracts. (2024). In Barry, H., Ebell, M. H., Shaughnessy, A. F., & Slawson, D. C. (Eds.), EE+ POEM Archive. John Wiley & Sons. https://evidence.unboundmedicine.com/evidence/view/infoPOEMs/426458/all/Statin_use_may_reduce_risk_of_cataracts
Statin Use May Reduce Risk of Cataracts [Internet]. In: Barry HH, Ebell MHM, Shaughnessy AFA, Slawson DCD, editors. EE+ POEM Archive. John Wiley & Sons; 2024. [cited 2024 December 07]. Available from: https://evidence.unboundmedicine.com/evidence/view/infoPOEMs/426458/all/Statin_use_may_reduce_risk_of_cataracts.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
TY - ELEC
T1 - Statin use may reduce risk of cataracts
ID - 426458
ED - Barry,Henry,
ED - Ebell,Mark H,
ED - Shaughnessy,Allen F,
ED - Slawson,David C,
BT - EE+ POEM Archive
UR - https://evidence.unboundmedicine.com/evidence/view/infoPOEMs/426458/all/Statin_use_may_reduce_risk_of_cataracts
PB - John Wiley & Sons
DB - Evidence Central
DP - Unbound Medicine
ER -