title: The effect of multivitamin/mineral supplements on age-related cataracts: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
abstract: Antioxidant vitamins supplements have been suggested as a strategy to decrease the risk of age-related cataract development. However, the results from observational studies and interventional trials of associations between antioxidant vitamins A, C, and E and cataract development have been inconsistent. We aim to evaluate the effectiveness of multivitamin/mineral supplements for decreasing the risk of age-related cataracts by conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis. In September 2013, we searched multiple databases to identify relevant studies including both cohort studies and randomized controlled trials (RCTs). A random-effects model was used to calculate the pooled relative risks (RR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI). Twelve prospective cohort studies and two RCTs were included. Pooled results from the cohort studies indicated that multivitamin/mineral supplements have a significant beneficial effect in decreasing the risk of nuclear cataracts (RR: 0.73; 95% CI: 0.64-0.82), cortical cataracts (RR: 0.81; 95% CI: 0.68-0.94), and any cataracts (RR: 0.66; 95% CI: 0.39-0.93). In addition, there were no decreases in the risk of posterior capsular cataracts (RR: 0.96; 95% CI: 0.72-1.20) or cataract surgery (RR: 1.00; 95% CI: 0.92-1.08). The two RCTs demonstrated that multivitamin/mineral supplements could decrease the risk of nuclear cataracts. There is sufficient evidence to support the role of dietary multivitamin/mineral supplements for the decreasing the risk of age-related cataracts.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, No. 181 Hospital of the PLA, No.1 Xinqiaoyuan Road, Guilin 541002, China. zlq20121113@outlook.com.
authors.forename: Li-Quan
authors.initials: LQ
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, No. 181 Hospital of the PLA, No.1 Xinqiaoyuan Road, Guilin 541002, China. llm3891288@163.com.
authors.forename: Liang-Mao
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No. 1665 Kongjiang Road, Shanghai 200092, China. zhuwjp@sh163.net.
authors.forename: Huang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, No. 181 Hospital of the PLA, No.1 Xinqiaoyuan Road, Guilin 541002, China.
authors.forename: Emptyyn Y
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: The Epidemiological Evidence-Based Eye Disease Study Research Group
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002386:Cataract / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016208:Databases, Factual; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D006801:Humans; D018977:Micronutrients / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D064887:Observational Studies as Topic; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D064167:Recommended Dietary Allowances
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D018977:Micronutrients