Asthma meds, pulmonary disease may increase cataract risk in elderly

Elderly patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma who take preventive medication may face an increased risk of developing cataracts, according to a long-term study.

Samy Suissa, MD, and colleagues at McGill University Health Center looked at data from 100,000 patients in Quebec with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Patients had been examined over the course of 14 years. The average patient age was 78. More than 10,000 of these patients were diagnosed with severe cataract.

The risk of developing a severe cataract increased 24% in people who were taking a typical daily dose of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS). Researchers said they found a smaller increase in the risk of cataract when the corticosteroid use was cut in half.

“We recommend that elderly asthma sufferers keep using these very effective medications, but make efforts to reduce the dose of ICS as much as possible,” Dr. Suissa said in a university press release.

He suggested that seniors who need to take inhaled corticosteroids try to use the medication in combination with other drugs that open up the bronchial tubes.

“Given the limited efficacy of ICS in COPD, we recommend avoiding their use altogether,” he said in the release.

The study is published in the June issue of European Respiratory Journal.