Risk Factors of Frisk et al for Cataracts Following a Bone Marrow Transplant

 

Patients were at risk for posterior capsular cataracts.

 

Risk factors for cataract development in this study:

(1) conditioning before the transplant with total body irradiation (TBI)

(2) high doses of corticosteroids

 

Other factors that may contribute to cataract development:

(1) history of cranial irradiation

(2) chemotherapy, especially long-term use of busulfan

 

Deterioration in visual acuity associated with the cataract tended to follow 2 paths:

(1) rapid (within 2 to 4 years of transplant)

(2) slow

 

Autologous transplants showed a slow progression of posterior subcapsular cataracts and had preserved visual acuity. These patients receive lower doses of corticosteroids since graft-vs-host disease is less of a problem than for allogeneic BMT.