Persistence with Statins and Incident Cataract: A Population-Based Historical Cohort Study

Purpose: In recent years, there is a growing body of evidence suggesting that statins may have anti-inflammatory effects; consequently, it was hypothesized that statins may have a preventive effect against cataract. Methods: The study was carried out on a retrospective cohort of 180,291 new statin users in a large health organization in Israel. Study participants were followed between 1998 and 2007 for incident cataract or cataract extraction. Results: During the study period 27,301 cataracts were diagnosed and 6,976 cataract extractions were performed among study participants. Persistence with statins was associated significantly (P < 0.001) with a reduced risk of cataract in men and women aged 45 to 74. Men aged 45-54 with a high (>80%) proportion of follow-up days covered with statins had an adjusted hazard ratio of 0.62 (95% confidence interval: 0.54-0.72), compared with patients with low persistence with statins. In elderly patients, no relationship or a positive relationship was observed. Conclusions: Persistent statin use was significantly protective for the incidence of cataract in men and women under 75 years of age.