Skip to main content
The British Journal of Ophthalmology logoLink to The British Journal of Ophthalmology
. 1988 Nov;72(11):809–814. doi: 10.1136/bjo.72.11.809

Drugs, including alcohol, that act as risk factors for cataract, and possible protection against cataract by aspirin-like analgesics and cyclopenthiazide.

J J Harding 1, R van Heyningen 1
PMCID: PMC1041596  PMID: 3207655

Abstract

A case-control study of cataract in Oxfordshire explored the risks and benefits associated with a variety of drugs. Steroids including the diuretic spironolactone, nifedipine, heavy smoking, and beer drinking were associated with a raised risk. On the other hand aspirin-like analgesics (paracetamol, ibuprofen, aspirin, etc. appeared to protect against cataract. Cyclopenthiazide appeared to provide a similar protection.

Full text

PDF
814

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Bucala R., Fishman J., Cerami A. Formation of covalent adducts between cortisol and 16 alpha-hydroxyestrone and protein: possible role in the pathogenesis of cortisol toxicity and systemic lupus erythematosus. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1982 May;79(10):3320–3324. doi: 10.1073/pnas.79.10.3320. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Chen M., Robertson R. P. Effects of prostaglandin synthesis inhibitors on human insulin secretion and carbohydrates tolerance. Prostaglandins. 1979 Oct;18(4):557–567. doi: 10.1016/0090-6980(79)90023-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Clayton R. M., Cuthbert J., Duffy J., Seth J., Phillips C. I., Bartholomew R. S., Reid J. M. Some risk factors associated with cataract in S.E. Scotland: a pilot study. Trans Ophthalmol Soc U K. 1982;102(Pt 3):331–336. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Clayton R. M., Cuthbert J., Phillips C. I., Bartholomew R. S., Stokoe N. L., Ffytche T., Reid J. M., Duffy J., Seth J., Alexander M. Analysis of individual cataract patients and their lenses: a progress report. Exp Eye Res. 1980 Nov;31(5):553–566. doi: 10.1016/s0014-4835(80)80014-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Cotlier E., Sharma Y. R. Aspirin and senile cataracts in rheumatoid arthritis. Lancet. 1981 Feb 7;1(8215):338–339. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(81)91965-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Cotlier E., Sharma Y. R., Niven T., Brescia M. Distribution of salicylate in lens and intraocular fluids and its effect on cataract formation. Am J Med. 1983 Jun 14;74(6A):83–90. doi: 10.1016/0002-9343(83)90534-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Crompton M., Rixon K. C., Harding J. J. Aspirin prevents carbamylation of soluble lens proteins and prevents cyanate-induced phase separation opacities in vitro: a possible mechanism by which aspirin could prevent cataract. Exp Eye Res. 1985 Feb;40(2):297–311. doi: 10.1016/0014-4835(85)90014-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Giugliano D., Torella R., Siniscalchi N., Improta L., D'Onofrio F. The effect of acetylsalicylic acid on insulin response to glucose and arginine in normal man. Diabetologia. 1978 Jun;14(6):359–362. doi: 10.1007/BF01228129. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. HECHT A., GOLDNER M. G. Reappraisal of the hypoglycemic action of acetylsalicylate. Metabolism. 1959 Jul 1;8(4 Pt 1):418–428. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Harding J. J. Nonenzymatic covalent posttranslational modification of proteins in vivo. Adv Protein Chem. 1985;37:247–334. doi: 10.1016/s0065-3233(08)60066-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Manabe S., Bucala R., Cerami A. Nonenzymatic addition of glucocorticoids to lens proteins in steroid-induced cataracts. J Clin Invest. 1984 Nov;74(5):1803–1810. doi: 10.1172/JCI111599. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Micossi P., Pontiroli A. E., Baron S. H., Tamayo R. C., Lengel F., Bevilacqua M., Raggi U., Norbiato G., Foà P. P. Aspirin stimulates insulin and glucagon secretion and increases glucose tolerance in normal and diabetic subjects. Diabetes. 1978 Dec;27(12):1196–1204. doi: 10.2337/diab.27.12.1196. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Minassian D. C., Mehra V., Jones B. R. Dehydrational crises from severe diarrhoea or heatstroke and risk of cataract. Lancet. 1984 Apr 7;1(8380):751–753. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(84)91274-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. POWELL E. D., FIELD R. A. DIABETIC RETINOPATHY AND RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS. Lancet. 1964 Jul 4;2(7349):17–18. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(64)90008-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. REID J., MACDOUGALL A. I., ANDREWS M. M. Aspirin and diabetes mellitus. Br Med J. 1957 Nov 9;2(5053):1071–1074. doi: 10.1136/bmj.2.5053.1071. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Rao G. N., Lardis M. P., Cotlier E. Acetylation of lens crystallins: a possible mechanism by which aspirin could prevent cataract formation. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1985 May 16;128(3):1125–1132. doi: 10.1016/0006-291x(85)91057-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Rösen P., Hohl C. Prostaglandins and diabetes. Ann Clin Res. 1984;16(5-6):300–313. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Siegel D., Sperduto R. D., Ferris F. L., 3rd Is ASA therapy for cataracts justified? Can J Ophthalmol. 1982 Jun;17(3):135–137. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Widström A. Influence of indomethacin on glucose-induced insulin response in normal man--role of prostaglandins in the rapid insulin release? Horm Metab Res. 1977 May;9(3):172–175. doi: 10.1055/s-0028-1093570. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. van Heyningen R., Harding J. J. A case-control study of cataract in Oxfordshire: some risk factors. Br J Ophthalmol. 1988 Nov;72(11):804–808. doi: 10.1136/bjo.72.11.804. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. van Heyningen R., Harding J. J. Do aspirin-like analgesics protect against cataract? A case-control study. Lancet. 1986 May 17;1(8490):1111–1113. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(86)91834-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from The British Journal of Ophthalmology are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES