BioMed Central
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s^0/"j |7 (page number not for citation purposes)
nkxzk$ BMC Ophthalmology
`g8E1-]l Research article Open Access
(fNUj4[ Comparison of age-specific cataract prevalence in two
;AR{@Fu. population-based surveys 6 years apart
WARb"8Kg Ava Grace Tan†, Jie Jin Wang*†, Elena Rochtchina† and Paul Mitchell†
n55Pv3}C Address: Centre for Vision Research, Westmead Millennium Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Sydney, Westmead Hospital,
Tus}\0/i> Westmead, NSW, Australia
B]m@:|Q Email: Ava Grace Tan -
ava_tan@wmi.usyd.edu.au; Jie Jin Wang* -
jiejin_wang@wmi.usyd.edu.au;
iHwLZ[O{ Elena Rochtchina -
elena_rochtchina@wmi.usyd.edu.au; Paul Mitchell -
paul_mitchell@wmi.usyd.edu.au IdYzgDH * Corresponding author †Equal contributors
q)H
1pwxD Abstract
"|;:>{JC Background: In this study, we aimed to compare age-specific cortical, nuclear and posterior
ul%h@=n subcapsular (PSC) cataract prevalence in two surveys 6 years apart.
D3|oOOoG Methods: The Blue Mountains Eye Study examined 3654 participants (82.4% of those eligible) in
b'VV'+| cross-section I (1992–4) and 3509 participants (75.1% of survivors and 85.2% of newly eligible) in
4&8Gr0C cross-section II (1997–2000, 66.5% overlap with cross-section I). Cataract was assessed from lens
]| N3eu photographs following the Wisconsin Cataract Grading System. Cortical cataract was defined if
Gl1jxxd cortical opacity comprised ≥ 5% of lens area. Nuclear cataract was defined if nuclear opacity ≥
"UEv&mQ Wisconsin standard 4. PSC was defined if any present. Any cataract was defined to include persons
0|R# Tb;Y who had previous cataract surgery. Weighted kappa for inter-grader reliability was 0.82, 0.55 and
~m|Mg9- 0.82 for cortical, nuclear and PSC cataract, respectively. We assessed age-specific prevalence using
QO"oEgB`+Z an interval of 5 years, so that participants within each age group were independent between the
:
^ 8 two surveys.
USFDy Results: Age and gender distributions were similar between the two populations. The age-specific
:2njp% prevalence of cortical (23.8% in 1st, 23.7% in 2nd) and PSC cataract (6.3%, 6.0%) was similar. The
jTLSdul+ prevalence of nuclear cataract increased slightly from 18.7% to 23.9%. After age standardization,
i)#s.6.D> the similar prevalence of cortical (23.8%, 23.5%) and PSC cataract (6.3%, 5.9%), and the increased
-n'F v@U prevalence of nuclear cataract (18.7%, 24.2%) remained.
Lh.`C7] Conclusion: In two surveys of two population-based samples with similar age and gender
8q1wHZ distributions, we found a relatively stable cortical and PSC cataract prevalence over a 6-year period.
V
d=yr'? The increased prevalence of nuclear cataract deserves further study.
`%09xMPu Background
o)OUWGjb/K Age-related cataract is the leading cause of reversible visual
(`? y2n)~W impairment in older persons [1-6]. In Australia, it is
^z,_+},a3T estimated that by the year 2021, the number of people
BTM),
w2 affected by cataract will increase by 63%, due to population
6U^\{<h_c aging [7]. Surgical intervention is an effective treatment
[F5h for cataract and normal vision (> 20/40) can usually
K}=|.sE9 be restored with intraocular lens (IOL) implantation.
*D'$"@w3 Cataract surgery with IOL implantation is currently the
6sa"O89 most commonly performed, and is, arguably, the most
*>VVt8*Et cost effective surgical procedure worldwide. Performance
w
'3#&k+ Published: 20 April 2006
5e
sQ; BMC Ophthalmology 2006, 6:17 doi:10.1186/1471-2415-6-17
;Ag
3c+ Received: 14 December 2005
tgjr&G}a@0 Accepted: 20 April 2006
RxMH!^ This article is available from:
http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2415/6/17 \6;=$f/?t © 2006 Tan et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.
&K/FyY5 This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0),
E9
V5$ which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
o[E_Ge}g8 BMC Ophthalmology 2006, 6:17
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au,t%8AC of this surgical procedure has been continuously increasing
t<n"-Tqu in the last two decades. Data from the Australian
nYbhy}y Health Insurance Commission has shown a steady
7OjR._@ increase in Medicare claims for cataract surgery [8]. A 2.6-
^!q?vo\j| fold increase in the total number of cataract procedures
7bDHXn from 1985 to 1994 has been documented in Australia [9].
udeoW-_ The rate of cataract surgery per thousand persons aged 65
qYhs|tY) years or older has doubled in the last 20 years [8,9]. In the
w1;hy"zPsj Blue Mountains Eye Study population, we observed a onethird
s|y:UgD increase in cataract surgery prevalence over a mean
f@co<iA 6-year interval, from 6% to nearly 8% in two cross-sectional
gNG r!3*)w population-based samples with a similar age range
LL$_zK{ [10]. Further increases in cataract surgery performance
eSW
{Cb would be expected as a result of improved surgical skills
fL]Pztsk+ and technique, together with extending cataract surgical
7^T^($+6s& benefits to a greater number of older people and an
5JhdVnT_ increased number of persons with surgery performed on
ZIdA\_c both eyes.
Xv@SxS-5l Both the prevalence and incidence of age-related cataract
pStk/te,XK link directly to the demand for, and the outcome of, cataract
I}2P>)K surgery and eye health care provision. This report
=vT<EW}[ aimed to assess temporal changes in the prevalence of cortical
$4MrP$4TI and nuclear cataract and posterior subcapsular cataract
-+t]15 (PSC) in two cross-sectional population-based
$)H@|<K surveys 6 years apart.
y<C<_2 Methods
<W]g2>9o9 The Blue Mountains Eye Study (BMES) is a populationbased
Tlj:%yK2 cohort study of common eye diseases and other
KN"S?i]X health outcomes. The study involved eligible permanent
pWu LfX residents aged 49 years and older, living in two postcode
RI2f`p8k areas in the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney, Australia.
LW:o8ES33 Participants were identified through a census and were
PQ|69*2G invited to participate. The study was approved at each
2BCtJ`S` stage of the data collection by the Human Ethics Committees
P,=+W(s9} of the University of Sydney and the Western Sydney
Ap{}^ Area Health Service and adhered to the recommendations
.WQ<jZt> of the Declaration of Helsinki. Written informed consent
m`6Yc:@E was obtained from each participant.
7*DMVok: Details of the methods used in this study have been
`pd&se'p described previously [11]. The baseline examinations
t:LcNlN| (BMES cross-section I) were conducted during 1992–
B^D(5 1994 and included 3654 (82.4%) of 4433 eligible residents.
/m _kn Follow-up examinations (BMES IIA) were conducted
H UoyLy during 1997–1999, with 2335 (75.0% of BMES
rwIeqV{: cross section I survivors) participating. A repeat census of
T!W~n
ZC the same area was performed in 1999 and identified 1378
htY=w}> newly eligible residents who moved into the area or the
S]sk7 eligible age group. During 1999–2000, 1174 (85.2%) of
j'i0*"x this group participated in an extension study (BMES IIB).
6a}"6d/sTL BMES cross-section II thus includes BMES IIA (66.5%)
9dh>l!2 and BMES IIB (33.5%) participants (n = 3509).
KNgH|5Pb Similar procedures were used for all stages of data collection
VCy5JH at both surveys. A questionnaire was administered
~8|t*@D including demographic, family and medical history. A
W\f9jfD detailed eye examination included subjective refraction,
<ktzT&A slit-lamp (Topcon SL-7e camera, Topcon Optical Co,
^BZkHAp Tokyo, Japan) and retroillumination (Neitz CT-R camera,
C}
IbxKl Neitz Instrument Co, Tokyo, Japan) photography of the
vFrt|JC_{ lens. Grading of lens photographs in the BMES has been
t4Z previously described [12]. Briefly, masked grading was
sM1RU performed on the lens photographs using the Wisconsin
c':ezEaC Cataract Grading System [13]. Cortical cataract and PSC
#0b&^QL were assessed from the retroillumination photographs by
;evCW$
G= estimating the percentage of the circular grid involved.
x}$e}8|8YL Cortical cataract was defined when cortical opacity
y%]8'q$ involved at least 5% of the total lens area. PSC was defined
"%8A:^1 when opacity comprised at least 1% of the total lens area.
3-40'$lE Slit-lamp photographs were used to assess nuclear cataract
z41_oG7 using the Wisconsin standard set of four lens photographs
M4Z@O3OIE [13]. Nuclear cataract was defined when nuclear opacity
P];JKE% was at least as great as the standard 4 photograph. Any cataract
F)$K was defined to include persons who had previous
5TBI<K cataract surgery as well as those with any of three cataract
@E`?<|B} types. Inter-grader reliability was high, with weighted
sPNfbCOz kappa 0.82 for cortical cataract, 0.55 (simple kappa 0.75)
V9x8R for nuclear cataract and 0.82 for PSC grading. The intragrader
P2n2Qt2 reliability for nuclear cataract was assessed with
Z#`0txCF simple kappa 0.83 for the senior grader who graded
cTZ)"^z! nuclear cataract at both surveys. All PSC cases were confirmed
b`cYpcs by an ophthalmologist (PM).
gvli %9n In cross-section I, 219 persons (6.0%) had missing or
a!Yb1[ ungradable Neitz photographs, leaving 3435 with photographs
4YbC(f available for cortical cataract and PSC assessment,
!^U6Z@&/R while 1153 (31.6%) had randomly missing or ungradable
eNySJf Topcon photographs due to a camera malfunction, leaving
c|wCKn}` 2501 with photographs available for nuclear cataract
b5ie <s
assessment. Comparison of characteristics between participants
67<CbQZoN3 with and without Neitz or Topcon photographs in
CKARg8o cross-section I showed no statistically significant differences
!awh*Xj6 between the two groups, as reported previously
#t71U a [12]. In cross-section II, 441 persons (12.5%) had missing
Ph7pd or ungradable Neitz photographs, leaving 3068 for cortical
*)VAaGUX> cataract and PSC assessment, and 648 (18.5%) had
>M
^&F6 missing or ungradable Topcon photographs, leaving 2860
$"fo^?d/s for nuclear cataract assessment.
#0MK(Ut/ Data analysis was performed using the Statistical Analysis
l[n@/%2 System (SAS, SAS Institute, Cary, NC, USA). Age-adjusted
ZL91m`r prevalence was calculated using direct standardization of
gn5% F5W the cross-section II population to the cross-section I population.
#MTj)P,
We assessed age-specific prevalence using an
cqQRU interval of 5 years, so that participants within each age
Md9l+[@ group were independent between the two cross-sectional
<Ry$7t, surveys.
.:0M+Jr" BMC Ophthalmology 2006, 6:17
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jK
t-~: Results
/_OOPt=G Characteristics of the two survey populations have been
('WY5Yps previously compared [14] and showed that age and sex
GoeIjuELR distributions were similar. Table 1 compares participant
jfSg
){ characteristics between the two cross-sections. Cross-section
7zI5PGWw II participants generally had higher rates of diabetes,
rbh[j@s@ hypertension, myopia and more users of inhaled steroids.
wW()Zy0) Cataract prevalence rates in cross-sections I and II are
uYTCd ZQh shown in Figure 1. The overall prevalence of cortical cataract
PPgW
^gj was 23.8% and 23.7% in cross-sections I and II,
;f(n.i respectively (age-sex adjusted P = 0.81). Corresponding
oWD)+5.] prevalence of PSC was 6.3% and 6.0% for the two crosssections
*aG"+c6| (age-sex adjusted P = 0.60). There was an
&|z|SY]DL increased prevalence of nuclear cataract, from 18.7% in
Doj(.wm~ cross-section I to 23.9% in cross-section II over the 6-year
hZ o5p&b period (age-sex adjusted P < 0.001). Prevalence of any cataract
k#jm7 + (including persons who had cataract surgery), however,
Gt'/D>FE0 was relatively stable (46.9% and 46.8% in crosssections
^N{X " I and II, respectively).
28+HKbgK After age-standardization, these prevalence rates remained
kd`YSkZ stable for cortical cataract (23.8% and 23.5% in the two
&NP6%}bR` surveys) and PSC (6.3% and 5.9%). The slightly increased
t[j9R#02? prevalence of nuclear cataract (from 18.7% to 24.2%) was
Bn_g-WrT not altered.
[k~C+FI Table 2 shows the age-specific prevalence rates for cortical
W+/2c4$F3 cataract, PSC and nuclear cataract in cross-sections I and
VwC4QK,d; II. A similar trend of increasing cataract prevalence with
bQpoXs0w; increasing age was evident for all three types of cataract in
(ic@3:xR both surveys. Comparing the age-specific prevalence
`=v@i9cTZ between the two surveys, a reduction in PSC prevalence in
=ty2_6&> cross-section II was observed in the older age groups (≥ 75
Uk|9@Auav years). In contrast, increased nuclear cataract prevalence
d~,n_E$q; in cross-section II was observed in the older age groups (≥
e~*S4dKR 70 years). Age-specific cortical cataract prevalence was relatively
Pd,!& consistent between the two surveys, except for a
? 9qAe reduction in prevalence observed in the 80–84 age group
Ul9b.`6 and an increasing prevalence in the older age groups (≥ 85
Y& m<lnB years).
>LCjtm\ Similar gender differences in cataract prevalence were
{YfYIt=. observed in both surveys (Table 3). Higher prevalence of
!Am
=v
=> cortical and nuclear cataract in women than men was evident
'oT|cmlc but the difference was only significant for cortical
iAg}pwU cataract (age-adjusted odds ratio, OR, for women 1.3,
U<|B7t4M 95% confidence intervals, CI, 1.1–1.5 in cross-section I
4bWfx_0W and OR 1.4, 95% CI 1.1–1.6 in cross-section II). In con-
ayN*fiV]
Table 1: Participant characteristics.
% ghJ*iHR Characteristics Cross-section I Cross-section II
&