Posterior subcapsular cataracts in patients treated with inhaled steroids

Abstract

Posterior subcapsular cataract formation as a risk of steroid therapy is generally assumed to be much lower with inhaled steroids than with systemic steroids. In this study, slitlamp examinations were done on 14 adult asthmatic patients who were taking inhaled steroids (beclomethasone diproprionate) combined with intermittent short reducing courses of oral steroids. The mean age of the patients was 39.289 ± 2.99 (SEM), the mean current daily dose of inhaled steroid was 1089.29 ± 106.80 (SEM) ?g and the mean duration of inhaled steroid therapy was 46.79 ± 2.85 (SEM) months. The prevalence of posterior subcapsular cataracts was 7.14%.