CARDIOVASCULAR-DISEASE, SELECTED CARDIOVASCULAR-DISEASE RISK-FACTORS,AND AGE-RELATED CATARACTS - THE BEAVER DAM EYE STUDY

PURPOSE: To examine the associations of cardiovascular disease and sel ected cardiovascular disease risk factors with the prevalence of age-r elated cataract METHODS: We conducted a population based prevalence st udy of adults aged 43 to 86 years (n = 4,926) in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin . An ocular examination including lens photographs, medical history, h eight and weight measurement, blood testing, and photograph grading wa s performed according to standard protocols. RESULTS: Age and sex infl uenced most of the relationships between risk variables and cataract. Many relationships apparent in univariate analyses were not significan t when controlling for confounders, In multivariate models, higher gly cated hemoglobin was significantly and consistently associated with in creased risk of nuclear cataract in women. For cortical cataract, high er serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol was associated with decr eased risk in women. For posterior subcapsular cataract, men with high er ratios of total to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol were at inc reased risk. History of cardiovascular disease was not associated with cataracts in persons with or without diabetes after controlling for a dditional risk indicators. CONCLUSIONS: Some risk factors for cardiova scular disease were associated with increased frequency of age-related lens opacities. Age and sex influenced these relationships but did no t entirely explain them. Longitudinal follow-up is necessary to determ ine antecedent-consequent relationships that may suggest causal associ ations.