title: The Relationship Between Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Levels and Nuclear Cataract in the Carotenoid Age-Related Eye Study (CAREDS), an Ancillary Study of the Women's Health Initiative.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the relationship between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) levels and nuclear cataract among participants of the Carotenoids in Age-Related Eye Disease Study (CAREDS), an ancillary study of the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) Observational Study (OS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Nuclear cataract was assessed from slit lamp photographs (2001-2004) taken 6 years after collecting serum analyzed for 25(OH)D levels at WHI baseline (1994-1998) in 1278 CAREDS participants age 50 to 79 years. Multivariate (age, iris color, smoking, pulse pressure) odds ratios (ORs) for nuclear cataract (nuclear opacities > level 4 or cataract extraction) by quintiles of serum 25(OH)D were estimated using logistic regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant association was observed between serum 25(OH)D and nuclear cataract among women of all ages (age-adjusted OR [95% confidence interval (CI)] 0.97 [0.65-1.45]). However, there was a significant age interaction (P for interaction = 0.04). There were no significant associations in the women 70 years or older. In women younger than 70 years, we observed an inverse association between serum 25(OH)D and nuclear cataract (multivariate adjusted ORs [95% CI] 0.54 [0.29-0.99] and 0.66 [0.36-1.20] for quintiles 4 and 5 vs. 1, respectively; P = 0.03). Further adjustment for 25(OH)D determinants (body mass index, vitamin D intake, and UVB exposure) attenuated this association.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum 25(OH)D levels were unrelated to nuclear opacities in this study sample. However, exploratory analyses suggest a protective association in women younger than 70 years. Further investigations of the relationship between vitamin D and nuclear lens opacities are warranted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, United States.
authors.forename: Prethy
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.affiliation: Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health and Health Professions, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, New York, United States.
authors.forename: Amy E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Millen
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, United States.
authors.forename: Kristin J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Meyers
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, United States.
authors.forename: Zhe
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, United States.
authors.forename: Rickie
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Voland
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, United States.
authors.forename: Sheri
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sondel
authors.affiliation: Division of Public Health Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, United States.
authors.forename: Lesley
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tinker
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States.
authors.forename: Robert B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Wallace
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, United States.
authors.forename: Barbara A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Blodi
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, United States.
authors.forename: Neil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Binkley
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, United States.
authors.forename: Gloria
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sarto
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.affiliation: Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research, Portland, Oregon, United States.
authors.forename: Erin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: LeBlanc
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, United States.
authors.forename: Julie A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Mares
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002386:Cataract / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D016387:Women's Health
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D; D002338:Carotenoids; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D