Serum Selenium Level in Cataract

Abstract

Introduction : Cataract is most common cause of blindness in old age. Cataract usually occurring at or above 50 year age is age related cataract. surgery is gold standard for treating cataract. 30-50% 0f cataract patients develops PCO after surgery and puts more buden on health care system. Delaying the onset of cataract by 10 years will reduce expenses and need for surgical intervention. Oxidative stress is main cause in genesis of senile cataract. Oxidative stress is due to imbalance between the production of reactive oxygen species and cellular antioxidant defence mechanism. Glutathione/glutathione peroxidase 1 and 4 (GSH/GPX1/GPX2) which play role of key enzyme in protecting lens against reactive oxygen species (ROS). Selenium is present in Glutathione peroxidase 1 and 4(selenoproteinin). suboptimal serum selenium affect antioxidative defence system which increases lens opacity. few studies have shown that altered selenium level is associated with development of cataract in animals. So this study will give us idea about is there association of serum selenium with cataract and if there, it will help to lessen burden on healthcare system.

Objective : Aim of the study is to analyse association between serum selenium and age related cataract(ARC).

Material and method : A total 354 individuals were participitaed into the study: group I,177 diagnosed patients of age related cataract of age group 50-60 years and group II,177 age, sex matched healthy controls. Serum selenium level were assayed by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrophotometry (ICP-MS) method.

Result : Mean age (54.98 ± 0.17 Vs.57.11 ± 0.16 years ,p =0.68 ). Hundred (56.49%) cases and 104 (58.75%) control were females. Serum selenium level (84.47 ± 0.36 Vs.65.06 ± 0.38 µg/L, p<0.0001).

Conclusion : Present study strongly indicate that low selenium is associated with cataract, so selenium has obvious role in cataract prevention