{
  "abstract": "Objectives To investigate whether pneumoconiosis increases the risk of cataract.Design Nationwide population-based retrospective cohort study.Setting Taiwan’s National Health Insurance database, which covers >99% of the population.Participants The study included 19 841 adults newly diagnosed with pneumoconiosis between 2001 and 2020 and 79 364 age-matched and sex-matched individuals without pneumoconiosis. Participants with a prior history of cataract were excluded.Outcome measures The primary outcome was incident cataract identified through International Classification of Diseases diagnostic codes. Subgroup analyses were performed to evaluate cataract risk across different strata of age, sex and comorbidity. In addition, among patients with pneumoconiosis, we conducted a secondary analysis evaluating the association between systemic corticosteroid use and cataract development.Results During follow-up, the incidence of cataract was significantly higher in the pneumoconiosis cohort (38.9 vs 35.3 per 1000 person-years). Patients with pneumoconiosis had an increased risk of cataract after adjustment for age, sex and comorbidities (adjusted HR (aHR)=1.22, 95% CI 1.18 to 1.26). Elevated risks were observed in both men (aHR=1.22, 95% CI 1.18 to 1.26) and women (aHR=1.20, 95% CI 1.13 to 1.29). All age groups showed increased risks, with the highest estimate observed among patients aged ≥75 years (aHR=1.24, 95% CI 1.19 to 1.30). Subgroup analyses showed an increased risk in patients with pneumoconiosis who had no comorbidities (aHR=1.12, 95% CI 1.07 to 1.18). In a secondary analysis, systemic corticosteroid exposure was not significantly associated with cataract development (adjusted OR=0.65, 95% CI 0.39 to 1.09).Conclusions Pneumoconiosis is associated with an increased risk of cataract. Routine ophthalmologic surveillance should be considered in pneumoconiosis management.",
  "authors": [
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, An Nan Hospital, China Medical University, Tainan, Taiwan"
      ],
      "name": "Jen-Suo Cheng"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, An Nan Hospital, China Medical University, Tainan, Taiwan"
      ],
      "name": "Yen-Sung Lin"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Management Office for Health Data, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan"
      ],
      "name": "Cheng-Li Lin"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Ophthalmology, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan"
      ],
      "name": "Ning-Yi Hsia"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan",
        "School of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan",
        "Department of Critical Care Medicine, Chu Shang Show Chwan Hospital, Nantou, Taiwan"
      ],
      "name": "Te-Chun Shen"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Neurosurgery, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan"
      ],
      "name": "Der-Yang Cho"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Association between pneumoconiosis and cataract risk: a nationwide retrospective cohort study in Taiwan",
  "uid": "685dde9a-1216-53f9-b0bb-e0cb575c246e"
}