Resumen

ZIGER, Fernanda et al. Corticosteroid therapy and cataract: prevalence and relation to time of use and cumulative dose. Arq. Bras. Oftalmol. [online]. 2003, vol.66, n.2, pp. 153-158. ISSN 0004-2749.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0004-27492003000200007.

PURPOSE: To study cataract prevalence in rheumatic patients who used corticosteroid chronically and to correlate it with time and total corticosteroid dose as well as with the disease that required such treatment. METHODS: We studied 27 rheumatic patients regarding cataract using slit lamp and calculated the total dose of prednisone or equivalent steroids as well as the treatment time. RESULTS: We found an 18.52% prevalence and no correlation with cumulative dose (p=0.231) or with the underlying disease. Although the time of treatment was longer in the group with cataract, no statistically significant difference could be found (p=0.694). CONCLUSION: The authors conclude that cataract is a relativelly common complication of steroid use and that further studies are needed to understand the pathophysiologic process of its formation.

Palabras llave : Cataract [physiopathology]; Cataract [etiology]; Rheumatic diseases [drug therapy]; Rheumatoid arthritis [drug therapy]; Adrenal cortex hormones [therapeutic use]; Adrenal cortex hormones [adverse effects]; Drug tolerance.