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Peer-reviewedCC BYCureus

Serum Lipid Abnormalities and Age-Related Cataract: A Hospital-Based Case-Control Study in North India.

  • Ruchika Agarwal1
  • Sakshi Bhandari1
  • Pallavi Dhawan1
  • Pawan A Kulkarni2
  • Namrata Prasad1
  • Sadaf Khan1
  1. 1Department of Ophthalmology, Rama Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, Kanpur, IND.
  2. 2Department of Biochemistry, Rama Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, Kanpur, IND.
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Abstract

Background

Dyslipidaemia may contribute to age-related cataract through altered lens membrane homeostasis, oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation, but clinical evidence remains inconsistent.Objective

To compare serum lipid profiles in adults with and without age-related cataract and quantify the independent associations of specific lipid abnormalities with cataract.Methods

This hospital-based case-control study included 300 adults aged 50 years or older at a tertiary care centre in Kanpur, India, from April 2024 to October 2025. Cases were 150 patients with age-related cataract, and controls were 150 participants without cataract. Patients with diabetes, secondary cataract or lipid-lowering therapy were excluded. Fasting total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), very-low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) were measured by enzymatic colourimetry. Separate multivariable logistic regression models adjusted each lipid abnormality for age, sex, education, occupation, smoking, alcohol use and socioeconomic status.Results

Cases were older than controls (63.07 ± 6.14 vs 60.70 ± 6.67 years; p = 0.002). Compared with controls, cases had higher total cholesterol (209.62 ± 33.23 vs 183.10 ± 28.08 mg/dL), triglycerides (169.42 ± 34.47 vs 146.65 ± 27.12 mg/dL), LDL-C (138.69 ± 30.45 vs 119.17 ± 21.27 mg/dL) and VLDL-C (33.89 ± 6.89 vs 29.33 ± 5.42 mg/dL), and lower HDL-C (39.49 ± 5.90 vs 45.95 ± 6.75 mg/dL; all p < 0.001). Adjusted odds of cataract were higher with low HDL-C (adjusted odds ratio {aOR} 3.91, 95% confidence interval {CI} 2.22-6.89), high LDL-C (aOR 3.06, 95% CI 1.86-5.04), high VLDL-C (aOR 3.03, 95% CI 1.84-5.00), high triglycerides (aOR 2.69, 95% CI 1.64-4.43) and high total cholesterol (aOR 2.49, 95% CI 1.54-4.05). Lipid distributions did not differ significantly across the 15 recorded cataract morphology categories.Conclusion

Dyslipidaemia, particularly low HDL-C and elevated atherogenic lipids, was independently associated with age-related cataract in this hospital population. These findings identify a clinically relevant metabolic correlate but do not establish causality. Prospective population-based studies should determine whether lipid abnormalities predict cataract onset or progression.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{agarwal2026serum,
  title = {{Serum Lipid Abnormalities and Age-Related Cataract: A Hospital-Based Case-Control Study in North India.}},
  author = {Ruchika Agarwal and Sakshi Bhandari and Pallavi Dhawan and Pawan A Kulkarni and Namrata Prasad and Sadaf Khan},
  journal = {Cureus},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.7759/cureus.117339},
  url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42968867},
  note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Serum Lipid Abnormalities and Age-Related Cataract: A Hospital-Based Case-Control Study in North India.
AU  - Ruchika Agarwal
AU  - Sakshi Bhandari
AU  - Pallavi Dhawan
AU  - Pawan A Kulkarni
AU  - Namrata Prasad
AU  - Sadaf Khan
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/01
JO  - Cureus
DO  - 10.7759/cureus.117339
UR  - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42968867
AB  - Background  Dyslipidaemia may contribute to age-related cataract through altered lens membrane homeostasis, oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation, but clinical evidence remains inconsistent.Objective  To compare serum lipid profiles in adults with and without age-related cataract and quantify the independent associations of specific lipid abnormalities with cataract.Methods  This hospital-based case-control study included 300 adults aged 50 years or older at a tertiary care centre in Kanpur, India, from April 2024 to October 2025. Cases were 150 patients with age-related cataract, and controls were 150 participants without cataract. Patients with diabetes, secondary cataract or lipid-lowering therapy were excluded. Fasting total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), very-low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) were measured by enzymatic colourimetry. Separate multivariable logistic regression models adjusted each lipid abnormality for age, sex, education, occupation, smoking, alcohol use and socioeconomic status.Results  Cases were older than controls (63.07 ± 6.14 vs 60.70 ± 6.67 years; p = 0.002). Compared with controls, cases had higher total cholesterol (209.62 ± 33.23 vs 183.10 ± 28.08 mg/dL), triglycerides (169.42 ± 34.47 vs 146.65 ± 27.12 mg/dL), LDL-C (138.69 ± 30.45 vs 119.17 ± 21.27 mg/dL) and VLDL-C (33.89 ± 6.89 vs 29.33 ± 5.42 mg/dL), and lower HDL-C (39.49 ± 5.90 vs 45.95 ± 6.75 mg/dL; all p < 0.001). Adjusted odds of cataract were higher with low HDL-C (adjusted odds ratio {aOR} 3.91, 95% confidence interval {CI} 2.22-6.89), high LDL-C (aOR 3.06, 95% CI 1.86-5.04), high VLDL-C (aOR 3.03, 95% CI 1.84-5.00), high triglycerides (aOR 2.69, 95% CI 1.64-4.43) and high total cholesterol (aOR 2.49, 95% CI 1.54-4.05). Lipid distributions did not differ significantly across the 15 recorded cataract morphology categories.Conclusion  Dyslipidaemia, particularly low HDL-C and elevated atherogenic lipids, was independently associated with age-related cataract in this hospital population. These findings identify a clinically relevant metabolic correlate but do not establish causality. Prospective population-based studies should determine whether lipid abnormalities predict cataract onset or progression.
SN  - 2168-8184
ER  -