The Risk of Cataract among Users of Inhaled Steroids

Prolonged exposure to inhaled corticosteroids among adults over 49 years old has been reported to increase cataract risk. Small-scale studies of inhaled steroid users suggest that no increased risk for children and young adults exists. To describe cataract risk among people with asthma who use inhaled corticosteroids relative to patients with asthma with no history of corticosteroid use, we conducted a retrospective observational cohort study of patients identified from the United Kingdom-based General Practice Database with a nested case-control analysis. Relative to patients who do not use corticosteroids, all inhaled corticosteroid users were at a marginally increased risk of cataract (RR = 1.3). Among individuals 40 years of age or older, the risk ratio increased with use of increasing numbers of inhaled corticosteroid prescriptions after controlling for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and smoking history. This trend was not evident in those under age 40.