Chu CS, et al. - This trial ascertained if the use of mood stabilizers (MS) was connected with an increased risk of cataract development. The findings unveiled increased risks of cataract development in long-term users of lithium, lithium combined with other MS and valproic acid combined with other MS for more than two years. This was reported among patients with bipolar disorder (BD) and schizophrenia.

Methods

• The plot of this research was a nested case-control study carried out through the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan.
• The recruitment consisted of 14,288 patients with bipolar disorder (BD) and schizophrenia; 7651 in the cataract group and 6637 in the control group.
• The enrollees were allocated into the following groups: No use, and duration < 1 year, 1 to 2 years, and > 2 years, on the basis of an overall cumulative period of MS (lithium, carbamazepine, valproate, and lamotrigine) therapy.
• Conditional logistic regression analysis inspected the connection between the use of MS and the risk of cataract development.

Results

• Higher risks for cataract development were unveiled in patients using lithium alone and lithium combined with other MS for more than 2 years (adjusted odd ratios [AOR] = 1.39; 95% CI = 1.01-1.92, p = 0.043 and AOR = 1.44; 95% CI = 1.13-1.85, p = 0.003, respectively) compared to the non-users.
• A rise was noted in the risks of cataract development among those treated with valproic acid combined with other MS (AOR = 1.26; 95% CI = 1.02-1.57, p = 0.035).
• There was no increased risks of cataract development in carbamazepine and lamotrigine users.