Acute juvenile cataract in newly diagnosed type 1 diabetic patients: a description of six cases.

ABSTRACT

Cataract represents one of the most frequent eye complications in type 1 and type 2 patients; contrarily, acute cataract in young diabetic patients occurs very rarely. The aim of this study was to describe six cases of acute cataract in adolescents at the onset of type 1 diabetes. Eight hundred and twenty-six patients with type 1 diabetes were retrospectively studied. A multivariate analysis was applied to verify the weight of the following laboratory findings taken on admission (independent variables) glycemia, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), pH, base excess (BE),and on the occurrence of cataract (dependent variable). Six patients (0.7%) presented with acute lens opacities. Cataract development was significantly correlated with HbA1c and glycemia. The relative risk increases about twice for each percentage point from 12.8 to 14.1% of HbA1c; glycemic blood levels represent a moderate risk factor for cataractogenesis. Ketoacidosis and BE were not significantly correlated.