Risk factors for Posterior Subcapsular Cataract
in Retinitis Pigmentosa

Abstract

Purpose : Posterior subcapsular cataract (PSC) is a frequent complication in patients with retinitis pigmentosa (RP). The risk factor for PSC formation in RP is largely unknown. The purpose of this study was to investigate the risk factor for PSC.

Methods : We retrospectively studied a total of 322 eyes of 174 patients who were diagnosed with typical RP. Aqueous flare values were measured consecutively in 2012 and 2013 using a laser flare cell meter. The lens including PSC was examined at the slit lamp after dilation with tropicamide 1% and phenylephrine 2.5%.

Results : The geometric mean values of aqueous flare and mean values of visual acuity were significantly higher for the RP patients with PSC compared to those without PSC (P=0.0003, P=0.0004, respectively). When the aqueous flare values were assessed continuously, each 1-log-transformed increase in flare levels was associated with an elevation of the likelihood of having PSC after multivariable adjustment (OR, 1.80; 95% CI, 1.13–2.86). In other possible risk factors, there are no significant associations with PSC.

Conclusions : Our analysis demonstrated that elevated aqueous flare is a significant risk factor for PSC formation, suggesting that inflammation may be implicated in the pathogenesis of PSC formation in RP.

This is an abstract that was submitted for the 2017 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Baltimore, MD, May 7-11, 2017.