ABSENCE OF POSTERIOR SUBCAPSULAR CATARACTS IN YOUNG-PATIENTS TREATED WITH INHALED GLUCOCORTICOIDS

The prevalence of posterior subcapsular cataracts in young patients receiving inhaled glucocorticoids for treatment of chronic asthma is unknown. In a cross-sectional study, slit-lamp examinations were done on 95 consecutive young patients who were taking inhaled beclomethasone or budesonide. No posterior subcapsular cataracts were found. The median age of the patients was 13 8 (range 5.8-24.8). The median dose of inhaled beclomethasone or budesonide was 750 mug/day (range 300-2000), or 12.9 mug/kg per day (range 7.5-34.2). The median duration of treatment was 5 years (range 1-15). 77% of the patients had not used oral glucocorticoids in the year preceding the examination. This. study suggests that routine screening for posterior subcapsular cataracts in this patient population is not warranted.