Analysis of the prevalence of cataracts and glaucoma in systemic lupus erythematosus and evaluation of the rheumatologists' practice for the monitoring of glucocorticoid eye toxicity

Chronic glucocorticoid (GC) therapy is associated with an increased risk of developing cataracts and glaucoma, and recommendations have been developed for monitoring these side effects in patients with rheumatic diseases. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of cataracts and glaucoma and the adherence to the existing recommendations for monitoring eye toxicity of chronic GC therapy among systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients in routine clinical practice. Clinical charts of 170 patients were examined, and 34 (20 %) of them never underwent an eye assessment. The remaining 136 underwent an eye assessment with an interval of 75 +/- 61.7 months. Only 45 (33 %) had received an evaluation during the previous 12 months. All these 170 patients were taking chronic CG therapy at a mean daily dose of 5.4 +/- 2.4 mg prednisone and a mean cumulative dose of 27.6 +/- 20.5 g. Out of the 136 patients with at least one eye assessment, cataracts were observed in 39 patients (29 %) and glaucoma in 4 patients (3 %). Cataracts were diagnosed at a mean age of 46.5 +/- 10 years; the development of cataracts was associated with age, disease duration, and cumulative GC dose. Glaucoma was diagnosed at a mean age of 40.5 +/- 16 years; due to the small number of patients, no correlations were made. The prevalence of cataracts and glaucoma is higher than in the general population, and these conditions occur early in the life of SLE patients. An association between GC and cataracts is confirmed. The adherence to recommendations is suboptimal as only 33 % of patients underwent an eye assessment over the previous 12 months. These data reinforce the need to improve adherence to recommendations for eye monitoring among SLE patients under chronic therapy with GC.