title: The risk of posterior subcapsular cataracts in granulocyte donors.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Therapeutic use of adrenal corticosteroids is a risk factor for the development of posterior subcapsular cataract (PSC). Because corticosteroids are given to donors of apheresis granulocytes (PMNs) to improve yield, this study was performed to determine the prevalence of PSCs in PMN donors relative to a matched control group of apheresis platelet (PLT) donors.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was a cross-sectional study stratified by age, sex, and lifetime apheresis experience at three sites. Individuals who had made at least five PMN donations preceded by corticosteroids were eligible. The presence of PSC was ascertained by grading digital retroillumination images of both lenses. A random subset of participants underwent clinical eye examinations by ophthalmologists masked as to study group. A logistic regression model was used to compute odds ratios (ORs).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Granulocyte donors had given a mean of 13 donations (range, 5-39 donations) over a mean period of 8.5 years (range, 0.3-25.2 years). The mean corticosteroid exposure, in cortisol equivalents, was 2840 mg (range, 1067-9040 mg). Six of 89 PMN donors had photographic evidence of PSCs versus 4 of 89 controls. This difference was not significant (OR, 1.54; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.46-5.08). Five of 33 PMN donors and 3 of 30 PLT donors had evidence of PSC by clinical examination. This difference was also not significant (OR, 1.61; 95% CI, 0.35-7.39).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study does not support the hypothesis that corticosteroid stimulation of PMN donors is associated with an increased risk of developing a PSC.
authors.affiliation: American Red Cross Blood Services, New York-Penn Region, West Henrietta, 14586, USA. burchj@usa.redcross.org
authors.forename: John W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Burch
authors.forename: David C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Mair
authors.forename: Geralyn M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Meny
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Moroff
authors.forename: Steven S T
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Ching
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Naidoff
authors.forename: Eric R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Steuer
authors.forename: Sanaz A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Loftus
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Armstrong
authors.forename: Traci E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Clemons
authors.forename: Barbara E K
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Klein
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001781:Blood Component Removal; D001782:Blood Donors; D001792:Blood Platelets; D002386:Cataract / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009504:Neutrophils; D015995:Prevalence; D018570:Risk Assessment
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones