The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 271 No 7268 p396
27 September 2003

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British Journal of Ophthalmology abstract (more)

Cataract risk with inhaled steroids

The increased risk of cataract associated with systemic corticosteroid use is also seen with inhaled therapy.

A study of more than 30,000 people found that those with cataracts were more likely to have been treated with inhaled steroids than those who did not have cataracts. For people prescribed corticosteroids at daily doses of 1,600mg or more, 41 per cent of their cataract risk was calculated to be due to their inhaled steroids (British Journal of Ophthalmology 2003;87:1247).