Incidence and Risk Factors for Posttransplant Subcapsular Cataract: A Long-Term Retrospective Cohort Study

BackgroundThe occurrence and risk factors for posterior subcapsular cataract (PSC) after renal transplantation have received little attention.ObjectivesTo analyze the cumulative incidence of PSC after renal transplantation and identify risk factors for the development of PSC.MethodsRetrospective review of the records of the patients who underwent kidney transplantation between May 1986 and December 2008.ResultsWe included 94 renal transplant recipients who showed PSC incidence at 5, 10, and 15 years of 3.5%, 40.5%, and 50.1%, respectively. Cumulative incidence of PSC during the follow-up was 37.2%. On multivariate analysis, age, body mass index (BMI) and cumulative corticosteroid dose were significantly associated with PSC. Recipient age above 50 years (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.88, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.42–5.83; P = .003), BMI above 25 kg/m2 (HR = 2.28, CI: 1.09–4.78; P = .029), and prednisolone dose above 3 mg/kg/mo (HR = 7.79, CI: 3.34–18.99; P < .001) were independent risk factors for PSC. Diabetes, renal diagnosis, duration, and type of dialysis and posttransplant immunosuppressive regimen did not influence the occurrence of PSC.ConclusionThe risk of PSC was low during the first years after transplantation reaching a plateau at 15 years posttransplantation. Among the risk factors for PSC, cumulative corticosteroid dose and body weight were the only modifiable risk factors.