Associations of cataract with antioxidant enzymes and other risk factors: the French Age-Related Eye Diseases (POLA) Prospective Study.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the association of potential risk factors, including antioxidant enzymes, with the incidence of cataract.


METHODS
Cohort study.


METHODS
At baseline, the Age-Related Eye Diseases (Pathologies Oculaires Liées à l'Age, POLA) Study included 2584 residents of Sète (southern France) aged 60 years or older. From September 1998 to May 2000, a 3-year follow-up examination was performed on 1947 of the 2436 surviving participants (79.9%).


METHODS
Cataract classification was based on a standardized lens examination at the slit lamp, according to Lens Opacities Classification System III. Biologic measurements were performed at baseline from fasting blood samples.


METHODS
At baseline and follow-up, the presence of cataract was defined as: NC or nuclear opalescence (NO) > or = 4 for nuclear cataract, C > or = 4 for cortical cataract, and P > or = 2 for posterior cataract (PSC) opacities, using opacity grades corrected for interobserver variability. Incidence rates were assessed separately for right and left eyes and for each type of cataract.


RESULTS
In the multivariate model, the incidence of cortical cataract was increased in subjects with high red blood cell superoxide dismutase activity (odds ratio [OR] 4.2 [1.5-12.1], P = 0.007). The incidence of PSC cataract was increased in subjects with a high level of plasma glutathione peroxidase (OR 1.8 [1.0-3.3], P = 0.05). In addition to age, gender, and opacities at baseline, significant risk factors for incident cataract were: long-duration diabetes (OR 5.8, P = 0.001 for cortical cataract) and lifetime heavy smoking (OR 2.9, P = 0.006 for PSC cataract).


CONCLUSIONS
Consistent with the baseline analysis, the results of this prospective study suggest that antioxidant enzymes might be implicated in the etiology of cataract.
Delcourt
Cécile
C
INSERM U500, Montpellier, France. delcourt@montp.inserm.fr
Carrière
Isabelle
I
Delage
Martine
M
Descomps
Bernard
B
Cristol
Jean-Paul
JP
Papoz
Laure
L
D000368:Aged; D002386:Cataract / Q000145:classification / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000201:enzymology / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000453:epidemiology; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000097:blood*
D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase