May 2006
Volume 47, Issue 13
Free
ARVO Annual Meeting Abstract  |   May 2006
Multivitamins and High Dose Antioxidant Use and Cataract in the Carotenoids in Age–Related Eye Disease Study (CAREDS) an Ancillary Study of the Women’s Health Initiative
Author Affiliations & Notes
  • R. Voland
    University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI
    Opthalmology and Visual Sciences,
  • T.L. LaRowe
    University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI
    Family Medicine,
  • S.M. Moeller
    University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI
    Opthalmology and Visual Sciences,
  • R.J. Chappell
    University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI
    Biostatistics and Medical Informatics,
  • B.A. Blodi
    University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI
    Opthalmology and Visual Sciences,
  • L.F. Tinker
    Cancer Prevention Research Program, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA
  • R.B. Wallace
    Epidemiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
  • J.A. Mares
    University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI
    Opthalmology and Visual Sciences,
  • Footnotes
    Commercial Relationships  R. Voland, None; T.L. LaRowe, None; S.M. Moeller, None; R.J. Chappell, None; B.A. Blodi, None; L.F. Tinker, None; R.B. Wallace, None; J.A. Mares, None.
  • Footnotes
    Support  National Eye Institute EY13018 and the Research to Prevent Blindness
Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science May 2006, Vol.47, 4130. doi:
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      R. Voland, T.L. LaRowe, S.M. Moeller, R.J. Chappell, B.A. Blodi, L.F. Tinker, R.B. Wallace, J.A. Mares; Multivitamins and High Dose Antioxidant Use and Cataract in the Carotenoids in Age–Related Eye Disease Study (CAREDS) an Ancillary Study of the Women’s Health Initiative . Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 2006;47(13):4130.

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      © ARVO (1962-2015); The Authors (2016-present)

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Abstract

Purpose: : We evaluated the frequency and duration of multivitamin and high dose antioxidant use in women ages 53–86 years (N=1802) from Women's Health Initiative Observational Study, Madison, Wisconsin, Iowa City, Iowa, Portland, Oregon on the prevalence of nuclear cataract.

Methods: : Nuclear sclerosis (NS) was assessed by slit–lamp photography in CAREDS study visits in 2001–2004. NS severity > 4 (CAREDS scale) in worse eye was considered as nuclear cataract. The presence of cataract alone or plus self–reported cataract extractions (n=733) were the two outcomes. Supplement use was assessed by self–report. Multivitamin use was defined as one multivitamin or more each week for at least two years. High dose antioxidant use was defined as at least two of the following daily doses for at least two years: beta carotene ≥ 10,000 IU, Vitamin E ≥ 60 IU, Vitamin C ≥ 120 mg. Odds ratios (OR) for cataract were computed by adjusting for age, or other risk factors (age, smoking status, iris color, physical activity, hormone replacement status, pulse pressure, and body mass index). A total of 733 women had nuclear cataract or self–reported cataract extraction.

Results: : Multivitamin use was mildly associated with a lower prevalence of nuclear cataract [age–adjusted OR = 0.82, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 0.66–1.01], but the marginal association was attenuated after adjusting for other risk factors (OR = 0.86, CI 0.69–1.07). High dose antioxidant use either singly or in combination with multivitamins was not associated with nuclear cataract adjusted for age (OR = 0.94, CI 0.73–1.19) or other risk factors (OR = 1.02, CI 0.79–1.33). Duration of multivitamin use was not significantly associated with cataract with extraction (likelihood ratio test: P = 0.17). Odds ratios for nuclear cataract, without extraction, were similar, but were not statistically significant.

Conclusions: : The lower prevalence of nuclear cataract that has been repeatedly associated with use of multivitamin supplements, in numerous previous study samples, was not significant in this sample of relatively health conscious older women.

Keywords: cataract • nutritional factors • clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: risk factor assessment 
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