Cholesterol lowering drug can up risk of cataract: study

Researchers from the University of Waterloo in Canada found that the additional risk of cataracts in statin drug users appears similar to that associated with type 2 diabetes.

The study included nearly 6,400 patients seen at the optometry clinic at the University of Waterloo in 2007-08 and 452 of these patients had type 2 diabetes.

Statin treatment and diabetes were evaluated as possible risk factors for age-related cataracts, controlling other factors including sex, smoking, and high blood pressure.

Fifty-six per cent of patients with type 2 diabetes were taking statins, compared to 16 per cent of those without diabetes. Both diabetes and statin use were significantly associated with an increased rate of age-related cataracts.

With adjustment for other factors, diabetes was associated with an 82 per cent increase in cataract risk and statin use with a 57 per cent increase. Statistically, the increase in cataract risk associated with statins was similar to that associated with diabetes.

At older ages, the risk of cataracts increased fastest in diabetic patients who took statins and slowest in nondiabetic patients who did not take statins.

On average, cataracts developed 5.6 years earlier in diabetic patients who took statins, compared to nondiabetic patients who did not take statins.

The known benefits of statin treatment for patients with type 2 diabetes probably outweigh any increased risk of cataracts, researchers Carolyn M Machan and colleagues said in a statement.

The study was published in the journal Optometry and Vision Science.