BioMed Central
ch#)XomN Page 1 of 7
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`.@udfog^0 BMC Ophthalmology
7 [e-3 Research article Open Access
x
(?Rm, Comparison of age-specific cataract prevalence in two
%
jDH{xSMb population-based surveys 6 years apart
?;#Q3Y+ Ava Grace Tan†, Jie Jin Wang*†, Elena Rochtchina† and Paul Mitchell†
'c~SE> Address: Centre for Vision Research, Westmead Millennium Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Sydney, Westmead Hospital,
0MpW!|E[b Westmead, NSW, Australia
dr)*.<_+a( Email: Ava Grace Tan -
ava_tan@wmi.usyd.edu.au; Jie Jin Wang* -
jiejin_wang@wmi.usyd.edu.au;
7a[6@ Elena Rochtchina -
elena_rochtchina@wmi.usyd.edu.au; Paul Mitchell -
paul_mitchell@wmi.usyd.edu.au v:lkvMq|= * Corresponding author †Equal contributors
Az8b_:= Abstract
uV|F3'jT Background: In this study, we aimed to compare age-specific cortical, nuclear and posterior
LYAGpcG subcapsular (PSC) cataract prevalence in two surveys 6 years apart.
H2iIBGu|L Methods: The Blue Mountains Eye Study examined 3654 participants (82.4% of those eligible) in
,t_&tbf3 cross-section I (1992–4) and 3509 participants (75.1% of survivors and 85.2% of newly eligible) in
mN-O{k0\ cross-section II (1997–2000, 66.5% overlap with cross-section I). Cataract was assessed from lens
z<Z0/a2'1 photographs following the Wisconsin Cataract Grading System. Cortical cataract was defined if
,3rsjoKhd cortical opacity comprised ≥ 5% of lens area. Nuclear cataract was defined if nuclear opacity ≥
v1u~[c=|^ Wisconsin standard 4. PSC was defined if any present. Any cataract was defined to include persons
-qpvVLR, who had previous cataract surgery. Weighted kappa for inter-grader reliability was 0.82, 0.55 and
em7L`, 0.82 for cortical, nuclear and PSC cataract, respectively. We assessed age-specific prevalence using
)4o8SF7lz an interval of 5 years, so that participants within each age group were independent between the
4~Q<LEly two surveys.
Ud"_[JtGM Results: Age and gender distributions were similar between the two populations. The age-specific
`?T::&` prevalence of cortical (23.8% in 1st, 23.7% in 2nd) and PSC cataract (6.3%, 6.0%) was similar. The
Gy+c/gK prevalence of nuclear cataract increased slightly from 18.7% to 23.9%. After age standardization,
A|Ft:_Y the similar prevalence of cortical (23.8%, 23.5%) and PSC cataract (6.3%, 5.9%), and the increased
Lww&[|k. prevalence of nuclear cataract (18.7%, 24.2%) remained.
m,+E5^ Conclusion: In two surveys of two population-based samples with similar age and gender
f7zB_hVDmE distributions, we found a relatively stable cortical and PSC cataract prevalence over a 6-year period.
lB_4jc The increased prevalence of nuclear cataract deserves further study.
5~>j98K Background
@WXRZEz Age-related cataract is the leading cause of reversible visual
p%Q{Rqc) impairment in older persons [1-6]. In Australia, it is
">B&dNrt estimated that by the year 2021, the number of people
Ur[ai6LNG affected by cataract will increase by 63%, due to population
I+Y Z+ aging [7]. Surgical intervention is an effective treatment
2/
)~$0 for cataract and normal vision (> 20/40) can usually
n\7>_ be restored with intraocular lens (IOL) implantation.
+pUYFDwFx Cataract surgery with IOL implantation is currently the
:\mdVS!o most commonly performed, and is, arguably, the most
fyZtwl@6w# cost effective surgical procedure worldwide. Performance
H>\lE2 Published: 20 April 2006
'D[ *|Qcy BMC Ophthalmology 2006, 6:17 doi:10.1186/1471-2415-6-17
;Srzka2 Received: 14 December 2005
0m4#{^Y Accepted: 20 April 2006
/ H GPy This article is available from:
http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2415/6/17 q@mZ0D- © 2006 Tan et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.
< A`srmS? This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0),
aTaL|&( which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
F(U(b_DPM BMC Ophthalmology 2006, 6:17
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ASS<XNP (page number not for citation purposes)
XU['lr&,W of this surgical procedure has been continuously increasing
+nYF9z2 in the last two decades. Data from the Australian
}y|_v^ Health Insurance Commission has shown a steady
5 yL"=3&+ increase in Medicare claims for cataract surgery [8]. A 2.6-
"NV~lJS% fold increase in the total number of cataract procedures
M\08 7k from 1985 to 1994 has been documented in Australia [9].
9WL$3z'* The rate of cataract surgery per thousand persons aged 65
UJ)(Sw years or older has doubled in the last 20 years [8,9]. In the
`b)i;m Blue Mountains Eye Study population, we observed a onethird
fo;^Jg. increase in cataract surgery prevalence over a mean
@ +>>TGC 6-year interval, from 6% to nearly 8% in two cross-sectional
DbN_(mC population-based samples with a similar age range
)5<c8lzp [10]. Further increases in cataract surgery performance
mN"g~o* would be expected as a result of improved surgical skills
l Z
tw[c and technique, together with extending cataract surgical
XTq+ 9 benefits to a greater number of older people and an
tIW~N
g increased number of persons with surgery performed on
j2%M-y4E both eyes.
}h
o6 Both the prevalence and incidence of age-related cataract
sWMY
Lo link directly to the demand for, and the outcome of, cataract
9t{Iv({6p surgery and eye health care provision. This report
e~G um aimed to assess temporal changes in the prevalence of cortical
bx3kd+J7 and nuclear cataract and posterior subcapsular cataract
5J*h7 (PSC) in two cross-sectional population-based
K]>X31Ho surveys 6 years apart.
K;~I;G
Methods
z?g\w6 The Blue Mountains Eye Study (BMES) is a populationbased
90
p
t'Jg cohort study of common eye diseases and other
=\x(Rs3 health outcomes. The study involved eligible permanent
Ehg(xK residents aged 49 years and older, living in two postcode
x4/f5 areas in the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney, Australia.
$McbVn)~f Participants were identified through a census and were
5H/D~hr& invited to participate. The study was approved at each
_iZ9Ch\ stage of the data collection by the Human Ethics Committees
S!.H _=z%p of the University of Sydney and the Western Sydney
Aw7_diK^ Area Health Service and adhered to the recommendations
8Rd*`]@[pk of the Declaration of Helsinki. Written informed consent
P(~vqo>! was obtained from each participant.
6e:#x:O Details of the methods used in this study have been
>jg"y described previously [11]. The baseline examinations
N&-J,p~ (BMES cross-section I) were conducted during 1992–
4xzoA'Mb@ 1994 and included 3654 (82.4%) of 4433 eligible residents.
TCetd#;R Follow-up examinations (BMES IIA) were conducted
_Rm1-,3 during 1997–1999, with 2335 (75.0% of BMES
J=AF`[ cross section I survivors) participating. A repeat census of
n 8'#'^| the same area was performed in 1999 and identified 1378
NaYr$` newly eligible residents who moved into the area or the
.u$o^; z! eligible age group. During 1999–2000, 1174 (85.2%) of
S[I-Z_S this group participated in an extension study (BMES IIB).
[vyi_0[ BMES cross-section II thus includes BMES IIA (66.5%)
|Y]4PT#EE and BMES IIB (33.5%) participants (n = 3509).
=p7eP Similar procedures were used for all stages of data collection
LV
!<vakCK at both surveys. A questionnaire was administered
rJ)8KY> including demographic, family and medical history. A
VVDd39q detailed eye examination included subjective refraction,
~Rk~Zn slit-lamp (Topcon SL-7e camera, Topcon Optical Co,
Z@QJ5F1y Tokyo, Japan) and retroillumination (Neitz CT-R camera,
GLE"[!s]f Neitz Instrument Co, Tokyo, Japan) photography of the
B4 +A lens. Grading of lens photographs in the BMES has been
0m
7_#g4$L previously described [12]. Briefly, masked grading was
Y;[+ ^J*a performed on the lens photographs using the Wisconsin
[ T!0ka Cataract Grading System [13]. Cortical cataract and PSC
b&\f 8xZ
were assessed from the retroillumination photographs by
$Z[W}7{pt# estimating the percentage of the circular grid involved.
t?;\' Cortical cataract was defined when cortical opacity
WI}cXXUKm0 involved at least 5% of the total lens area. PSC was defined
A#KfG1K> when opacity comprised at least 1% of the total lens area.
l7vxTj@(- Slit-lamp photographs were used to assess nuclear cataract
^
&Wa?
m. using the Wisconsin standard set of four lens photographs
32x[6"T [13]. Nuclear cataract was defined when nuclear opacity
pUD(5v*0R was at least as great as the standard 4 photograph. Any cataract
J`xCd/G was defined to include persons who had previous
gUHx(Fi[4 cataract surgery as well as those with any of three cataract
:hFKmoy# types. Inter-grader reliability was high, with weighted
p4^&G/' kappa 0.82 for cortical cataract, 0.55 (simple kappa 0.75)
pi;'! d[l% for nuclear cataract and 0.82 for PSC grading. The intragrader
Df5!z \dx reliability for nuclear cataract was assessed with
r<c&;* simple kappa 0.83 for the senior grader who graded
z=yE- I{ nuclear cataract at both surveys. All PSC cases were confirmed
/_qW?LKG/ by an ophthalmologist (PM).
14z
?X% In cross-section I, 219 persons (6.0%) had missing or
Ld?'X=eQ ungradable Neitz photographs, leaving 3435 with photographs
za!8:( available for cortical cataract and PSC assessment,
Fxv5kho while 1153 (31.6%) had randomly missing or ungradable
_o7t| pl~ Topcon photographs due to a camera malfunction, leaving
2;ju/9x 2501 with photographs available for nuclear cataract
i "d&U7Q assessment. Comparison of characteristics between participants
#\Zr$?t|V with and without Neitz or Topcon photographs in
E<sd\~~A: cross-section I showed no statistically significant differences
7#(0GZN9h% between the two groups, as reported previously
qs!A)H# [12]. In cross-section II, 441 persons (12.5%) had missing
Zm*q V! or ungradable Neitz photographs, leaving 3068 for cortical
'P)c'uqd# cataract and PSC assessment, and 648 (18.5%) had
A DVUx} missing or ungradable Topcon photographs, leaving 2860
{5]c\_. for nuclear cataract assessment.
2Q 5-.2] Data analysis was performed using the Statistical Analysis
q_cP<2`@V System (SAS, SAS Institute, Cary, NC, USA). Age-adjusted
[}!0PN?z~A prevalence was calculated using direct standardization of
+Fb+dU the cross-section II population to the cross-section I population.
8([ MR We assessed age-specific prevalence using an
:b]
\*
interval of 5 years, so that participants within each age
8u%,5GV>Xr group were independent between the two cross-sectional
0O[le*3b surveys.
q@g#DP+C BMC Ophthalmology 2006, 6:17
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!_FTy^@c2 Results
5'
( T*" Characteristics of the two survey populations have been
=X9fn previously compared [14] and showed that age and sex
n
RvaCAt^
distributions were similar. Table 1 compares participant
ex
BLj
*] characteristics between the two cross-sections. Cross-section
5KP\ #Y II participants generally had higher rates of diabetes,
ltlo$`PR hypertension, myopia and more users of inhaled steroids.
+u&[ j/ Cataract prevalence rates in cross-sections I and II are
!FD d5CS shown in Figure 1. The overall prevalence of cortical cataract
~>N63I6 was 23.8% and 23.7% in cross-sections I and II,
,`02fMOLc respectively (age-sex adjusted P = 0.81). Corresponding
q#@r*hl prevalence of PSC was 6.3% and 6.0% for the two crosssections
?O3d Sxi (age-sex adjusted P = 0.60). There was an
@%G?Nht]o increased prevalence of nuclear cataract, from 18.7% in
v K[%cA" cross-section I to 23.9% in cross-section II over the 6-year
;b:'i&r
period (age-sex adjusted P < 0.001). Prevalence of any cataract
!l=)$RJKdD (including persons who had cataract surgery), however,
PR]b]= was relatively stable (46.9% and 46.8% in crosssections
[sjkm+
? I and II, respectively).
1;H"4u_IG& After age-standardization, these prevalence rates remained
l?
U!rFRq` stable for cortical cataract (23.8% and 23.5% in the two
KPI96P surveys) and PSC (6.3% and 5.9%). The slightly increased
Gw\..O prevalence of nuclear cataract (from 18.7% to 24.2%) was
\1LfDlQk) not altered.
9^ZtbmUf Table 2 shows the age-specific prevalence rates for cortical
92t.@!m` cataract, PSC and nuclear cataract in cross-sections I and
0#Lmajs II. A similar trend of increasing cataract prevalence with
Dsp$Nr%* increasing age was evident for all three types of cataract in
p
A8As both surveys. Comparing the age-specific prevalence
q[C?1Kc.z between the two surveys, a reduction in PSC prevalence in
gK9d `5 cross-section II was observed in the older age groups (≥ 75
tV`=o$` years). In contrast, increased nuclear cataract prevalence
[5& nH@og in cross-section II was observed in the older age groups (≥
<JH,B91 70 years). Age-specific cortical cataract prevalence was relatively
bY=[ USgps consistent between the two surveys, except for a
3_Xu3hNH! reduction in prevalence observed in the 80–84 age group
C_kuW+H and an increasing prevalence in the older age groups (≥ 85
Xs2 jR14` years).
T" W<l4i- Similar gender differences in cataract prevalence were
ESIP+ observed in both surveys (Table 3). Higher prevalence of
twq~.:<o cortical and nuclear cataract in women than men was evident
xF8n=Lc but the difference was only significant for cortical
~}}<+ JEEO cataract (age-adjusted odds ratio, OR, for women 1.3,
_E`+0;O 95% confidence intervals, CI, 1.1–1.5 in cross-section I
X!ruQem / and OR 1.4, 95% CI 1.1–1.6 in cross-section II). In con-
5M~{MdF|. Table 1: Participant characteristics.
(Z(S?`') Characteristics Cross-section I Cross-section II
3W%6n-*u n % n %
oT):#,s Age (mean) (66.2) (66.7)
>bh+!5Y0 50–54 485 13.3 350 10.0
vTO9XHc E 55–59 534 14.6 580 16.5
.Q,"gsY 60–64 638 17.5 600 17.1
FN-/~Su~J
65–69 671 18.4 639 18.2
C~qZ& 70–74 538 14.7 572 16.3
/'rj L<M 75–79 422 11.6 407 11.6
THp_ dTD 80–84 230 6.3 226 6.4
6:#o0OeBP 85–89 100 2.7 110 3.1
C
e-ru) 90+ 36 1.0 24 0.7
#cfiN b}GX Female 2072 56.7 1998 57.0
Cdz&'en^ Ever Smokers 1784 51.2 1789 51.2
lmzHE8MUNu Use of inhaled steroids 370 10.94 478 13.8^
.n]"vpWm[ History of:
L1SKOM$ Diabetes 284 7.8 347 9.9^
.*-8rOcc Hypertension 1669 46.0 1825 52.2^
xSmG,}3mF Emmetropia* 1558 42.9 1478 42.2
F]
c\Qt Myopia* 442 12.2 495 14.1^
*(OG+OkC Hyperopia* 1633 45.0 1532 43.7
=GX5T(P8k n = number of persons affected
Ib# -M;{ * best spherical equivalent refraction correction
ka9@7IFM ^ P < 0.01
6nW)2LV BMC Ophthalmology 2006, 6:17
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$gUlM+sK (page number not for citation purposes)
u9hd%}9Qd? t
o9eOp3w30 rast, men had slightly higher PSC prevalence than women
'Lrn< in both cross-sections but the difference was not significant
tAAMSb9[d (OR 1.1, 95% CI 0.8–1.4 for men in cross-section I
(s3k2Z and OR 1.2, 95% 0.9–1.6 in cross-section II).
HOP*QX8C% Discussion
1+FVM\<& Findings from two surveys of BMES cross-sectional populations
7iP+!e}$. with similar age and gender distribution showed
LiG$M{ 0 that the prevalence of cortical cataract and PSC remained
>w
S'z]T9 stable, while the prevalence of nuclear cataract appeared
eY<<Hld to have increased. Comparison of age-specific prevalence,
k1wIb']m]z with totally independent samples within each age group,
\d@5*q confirmed the robustness of our findings from the two
u} ot-!}Q survey samples. Although lens photographs taken from
28!C#.(h the two surveys were graded for nuclear cataract by the
(;{X-c}? same graders, who documented a high inter- and intragrader
2&1mI>:F reliability, we cannot exclude the possibility that
F/oqYk9` variations in photography, performed by different photographers,
$mQ0w~:@ may have contributed to the observed difference
Q~N,QMr)k& in nuclear cataract prevalence. However, the overall
hXTfmFy{n Table 2: Age-specific prevalence of cataract types in cross sections I and II.
42dv3bE" Cataract type Age (years) Cross-section I Cross-section II
}+@9[Q
L n % (95% CL)* n % (95% CL)*
0kE[=#'.' Cortical 50–54 473 4.4 (2.6–6.3) 338 7.4 (4.6–10.2)
)WqolB 55–59 522 9.2 (6.7–11.7) 542 9.0 (6.6–11.5)
#V>R#Oh} 60–64 615 16.4 (13.5–19.4) 556 16.7 (13.6–19.8)
OC=&
!< 65–69 653 26.2 (22.8–29.6) 581 23.6 (20.1–27.0)
oIhKMQ;jh 70–74 516 31.2 (27.2–35.2) 514 35.4 (31.3–39.6)
u$T]A8e 75–79 366 40.2 (35.1–45.2) 332 39.8 (34.5–45.1)
QEyL/#Q 80–84 194 58.8 (51.8–65.8) 163 42.9 (35.3–50.6)
tsb[=W!Ar8 85–89 74 52.7 (41.1–64.4) 73 54.8 (43.1–66.5)
I6.rN\%b 90+ 22 68.2 (47.0–89.3) 14 78.6 (54.0–103.2)
JS/'0. PSC 50–54 474 2.7 (1.3–4.2) 338 2.4 (0.7–4.0)
~o'1PAW7 55–59 522 2.9 (1.4–4.3) 541 2.6 (1.3–3.9)
D3o,2E(o 60–64 616 4.6 (2.9–6.2) 548 5.7 (3.7–7.6)
~gI%lORqN 65–69 655 6.3 (4.4–8.1) 573 4.5 (2.8–6.3)
(:l6R9'= 70–74 517 6.8 (4.6–8.9) 505 9.7 (7.1–12.3)
VF?H0}YSHb 75–79 367 11.4 (8.2–14.7) 327 9.5 (6.3–12.7)
$)M3fZ$# 80–84 196 12.2 (7.6–16.9) 155 10.3 (5.5–15.2)
]_s3<&R 85–89 74 18.9 (9.8–28.1) 69 11.6 (3.9–19.4)
>=@-]X2%j 90+ 23 21.7 (3.5–40.0) 11 0.0
Bu:%trlgV Nuclear 50–54 323 1.6 (0.2–2.9) 331 0.9 (–0.2–1.9)
&da=hc,>% 55–59 386 2.3 (0.8–3.8) 507 3.6 (1.9–5.2)
*Soi 60–64 453 5.3 (3.2–7.4) 501 11.6 (8.8–14.4)
Cut~k"lv 65–69 478 17.2 (13.8–20.1) 534 18.5 (15.2–21.9)
{5 dVK
70–74 392 27.6 (23.1–32.0) 453 36.0 (31.6–40.4)
[:X@|,1V!L 75–79 255 45.1 (39.0–51.3) 302 55.6 (50.0–61.3)
L)'G_)Sl 80–84 146 54.1 (45.9–62.3) 147 73.5 (66.3–80.7)
BE?]P?r? 85–89 50 64.0 (50.2–77.8) 70 80.0 (70.4–89.6)
!f~a3 {;j 90+ 18 72.2 (49.3–95.1) 15 73.3 (48.0–98.7)
^+(5
[z n = number of persons
iYXD }l;r * 95% Confidence Limits
j97+'AKX Cataract FMioguunrtea i1n ps rEeyvea lSetnucdey in cross-sections I and II of the Blue
XFhH+4#] Cataract prevalence in cross-sections I and II of the Blue
SdH=1zBc Mountains Eye Study.
o0r&w;! 0
d@3DsE.{i 10
<'\Nv._2a 20
.tRm1&Qi 30
-zK>{)Z=q 40
@<W` w 50
t'_EcYNS cortical PSC nuclear any
KM &P5} cataract
>LPb>t5%p Cataract type
dDS{XR %
Yn?beu' Cross-section I
_9BL7W $; Cross-section II
Gamn,c9
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%M
x|"ff (page number not for citation purposes)
!*l /Pr^8 prevalence of any cataract (including cataract surgery) was
)WvKRp r relatively stable over the 6-year period.
|lhnCShw Although different population-based studies used different
xOkdu
k] grading systems to assess cataract [15], the overall
]t<=a
6<P prevalence of the three cataract types were similar across
yu_PZ"l different study populations [12,16-23]. Most studies have
7~2_'YX>: suggested that nuclear cataract is the most prevalent type
Dbn~~P of cataract, followed by cortical cataract [16-20]. Ours and
2*snMA other studies reported that cortical cataract was the most
D:k<
, { prevalent type [12,21-23].
>FE8CH!W& Our age-specific prevalence data show a reduction of
?q6#M&|j/I 15.9% in cortical cataract prevalence for the 80–84 year
co,0@.i age group, concordant with an increase in cataract surgery
1tbA-+ prevalence by 9% in those aged 80+ years observed in the
EUSM4djL same study population [10]. Although cortical cataract is
F,vkk{Z> thought to be the least likely cataract type leading to a cataract
+~=a$xA[C surgery, this may not be the case in all older persons.
IWYQ67Yj A relatively stable cortical cataract and PSC prevalence
+aOev
kY] over the 6-year period is expected. We cannot offer a
0$Tb5+H5 definitive explanation for the increase in nuclear cataract
7s^b@&Le prevalence. A possible explanation could be that a moderate
@Yt394gA%\ level of nuclear cataract causes less visual disturbance
glC,E> than the other two types of cataract, thus for the oldest age
Wm1dFf.> groups, persons with nuclear cataract could have been less
XR]bd likely to have surgery unless it is very dense or co-existing
"(jD*\8x with cortical cataract or PSC. Previous studies have shown
HB#!Dv&' that functional vision and reading performance were high
_#M4zO7 in patients undergoing cataract surgery who had nuclear
HG /fp<[ cataract only compared to those with mixed type of cataract
io\t>_ (nuclear and cortical) or PSC [24,25]. In addition, the
Qz=e'H overall prevalence of any cataract (including cataract surgery)
8nZ_. was similar in the two cross-sections, which appears
ku/vV+&O to support our speculation that in the oldest age group,
")9 ^ nuclear cataract may have been less likely to be operated
a{ke%W$*P than the other two types of cataract. This could have
kJ%a;p`O resulted in an increased nuclear cataract prevalence (due
v~
x`a0 to less being operated), compensated by the decreased
S*n5d >; prevalence of cortical cataract and PSC (due to these being
fP
3eR>e more likely to be operated), leading to stable overall prevalence
|L89yjhWBs of any cataract.
(mbm',%- ( Possible selection bias arising from selective survival
i{9.bpp/ among persons without cataract could have led to underestimation
8 # BR\ of cataract prevalence in both surveys. We
Gv]94$'J9 assume that such an underestimation occurred equally in
;Tk/}Od!VN both surveys, and thus should not have influenced our
hVyeHbx assessment of temporal changes.
C[{E8Tg/ Measurement error could also have partially contributed
mz x$(u to the observed difference in nuclear cataract prevalence.
G,+3(C Assessment of nuclear cataract from photographs is a
45
BpZ~- potentially subjective process that can be influenced by
-|u
yJh variations in photography (light exposure, focus and the
C \5yo slit-lamp angle when the photograph was taken) and
j"Ew)6j grading. Although we used the same Topcon slit-lamp
J!|R1 camera and the same two graders who graded photos
@+
T33X)h% from both surveys, we are still not able to exclude the possibility
U)iBeYW: of a partial influence from photographic variation
7wY0JS$fz on this result.
[5
!{>
L` A similar gender difference (women having a higher rate
Z6
- than men) in cortical cataract prevalence was observed in
=eS?`| both surveys. Our findings are in keeping with observations
/V2yLHm from the Beaver Dam Eye Study [18], the Barbados
n'j}u Eye Study [22] and the Lens Opacities Case-Control
A|4
3W= Group [26]. It has been suggested that the difference
ugj I$u could be related to hormonal factors [18,22]. A previous
q-@&n6PEOZ study on biochemical factors and cataract showed that a
3A =\Mb lower level of iron was associated with an increased risk of
B+jh|@- cortical cataract [27]. No interaction between sex and biochemical
eHIcfp@& factors were detected and no gender difference
>o3R~ [ was assessed in this study [27]. The gender difference seen
f;OB"p in cortical cataract could be related to relatively low iron
fo~*Bp()-E levels and low hemoglobin concentration usually seen in
@A`j Wao women [28]. Diabetes is a known risk factor for cortical
Q`;eI
a6U Table 3: Gender distribution of cataract types in cross-sections I and II.
<dVJV?i; Cataract type Gender Cross-section I Cross-section II
QUZ+#*:s n % (95% CL)* n % (95% CL)*
sX}#L Cortical Male 1496 21.1 (19.0–23.1) 1328 20.4 (18.2–22.6)
O.\\)8xA Female 1939 25.9 (23.9–27.8) 1785 26.2 (24.2–28.3)
z;/8R7L& PSC Male 1500 6.5 (5.2–7.7) 1314 6.4 (5.1–7.7)
mH\2XG8nV Female 1944 6.2 (5.1–7.2) 1753 5.7 (4.6–6.7)
\L}7.fkb8 Nuclear Male 1106 17.6 (15.4–19.9) 1225 22.5 (20.1–24.8)
vl+bc[ i~ Female 1395 19.5 (17.4–21.6) 1635 25.0 (22.9–27.1)
%]4=D)Om n = number of persons
>vYb'%02 * 95% Confidence Limits
CvEIcm=t BMC Ophthalmology 2006, 6:17
http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2415/6/17 ,&fZo9J9 Page 6 of 7
GDiyFTr (page number not for citation purposes)
IGlyx'\_ cataract but in this particular population diabetes is more
knpdECq&k prevalent in men than women in all age groups [29]. Differential
6V@_?a-K exposures to cataract risk factors or different dietary
bC) <K/Q9 or lifestyle patterns between men and women may
%q9"2]
cR also be related to these observations and warrant further
,q7FK z{ study.
&RI;!qn6( Conclusion
Rh$+9w In summary, in two population-based surveys 6 years
_% \% apart, we have documented a relatively stable prevalence
PDz:x4A of cortical cataract and PSC over the period. The observed
bGy|T*@ overall increased nuclear cataract prevalence by 5% over a
Qgv g*KX 6-year period needs confirmation by future studies, and
?_p!teb reasons for such an increase deserve further study.
Zg>]!^X8 Competing interests
)^"V}z
t The author(s) declare that they have no competing interests.
_IV!9 JL Authors' contributions
>msQ@Ch AGT graded the photographs, performed literature search
Qe4 % A and wrote the first draft of the manuscript. JJW graded the
0S'@(p[A photographs, critically reviewed and modified the manuscript.
D&G?Klq ER performed the statistical analysis and critically
`_i|\}tl reviewed the manuscript. PM designed and directed the
_g( aO70Zu study, adjudicated cataract cases and critically reviewed
_'X and modified the manuscript. All authors read and
9k6/D.Dz approved the final manuscript.
)UTjP/\gN Acknowledgements
%;= ?r*] This study was supported by the Australian National Health & Medical
cR,'aX Research Council, Canberra, Australia (Grant Nos 974159, 991407). The
J|^z>gP( abstract was presented at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology
u2`
j\
Vu (ARVO) meeting in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA, May 2005.
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