J Korean Ophthalmol Soc.  2002 Jul;43(7):1152-1157.

The Effect of Steroid and other Immunosuppressants on the Cataract and after-Cataract after Renal Transplantation

• Kim JH
• Kim MS

Abstract

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of systemic steroid and other immunosuppressants on the development of cataract and after-cataract in renal transplant patients.
METHODS
We compared fourteen patients (22 eyes) who had undergone operation by one surgeon for cataract after renal transplnatation since 1991 and their follow-up period after cataract surgery was over 6months with the group that didn't have cataract after renal transplantation and the group that had cataract without systemic disease on the clinical aspect of cataract and after-cataract and also relationship with use of systemic steroid and immunosupressants.
RESULTS
Most patients who underwent renal transplantation had posterior subcapsular opacity (81%) and their mean daily steroid dosage was statistically significantly higher than that of patients who didn't have cataract after renal transplantation(p<0.05). However, daily cyclosporin dosage and the use of azathioprine didn't have difference between the two groups. Additionally, the incidence and onset of after-cataract following cataract surgery had no statistically significant difference or correlations with daily steroid dosage(r=0.002) and daily cyclosporin dosage(r=0.16) or the use of azathioprine.
CONCLUSIONS
Careful control of steroid dosage and early combination therapy with other immunosuppressants are considered to prevent the development of cataract in renal transplant patients. Further research on the effect of immunosupressants for after-cataract will be helpful to maintatin good visual outcome after cataract surgery.

Keyword

After-Cataract; Cataract; Immunosuppressant; Renal transplantation; Steroid

MeSH Terms

Azathioprine
Cataract*
Cyclosporine
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Immunosuppressive Agents*
Incidence
Kidney Transplantation*
Azathioprine
Cyclosporine
Immunosuppressive Agents