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Review
. 2015 Oct;18(15):2804-14.
doi: 10.1017/S1368980014003115. Epub 2015 Jan 16.

Vitamin E and risk of age-related cataract: a meta-analysis

Yufei Zhang  1 , Wenjie Jiang  1 , Zhutian Xie  1 , Wenlong Wu  1 , Dongfeng Zhang  1
Affiliations
Review

Vitamin E and risk of age-related cataract: a meta-analysis

Yufei Zhang et al. Public Health Nutr. 2015 Oct.

Abstract

Objective: We conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the relationship between vitamin E and age-related cataract (ARC).

Design: The fixed- or random-effect model was selected based on heterogeneity. Meta-regression was used to explore potential sources of between-study heterogeneity. Publication bias was evaluated using Begg's test. The dose-response relationship was assessed by a restricted cubic spline model.

Setting: Relevant studies were identified by a search of PubMed and the Cochrane Library to May 2014, without language restrictions.

Subjects: Studies involved samples of people of all ages.

Results: Dietary vitamin E intake, dietary and supplemental vitamin E intake, and high serum tocopherol levels were significantly associated with decreased risk of ARC, the pooled relative risk was 0·73 (95% CI 0·58, 0·92), 0·86 (95% CI 0·75, 0·99) and 0·77 (95% CI 0·66, 0·91), respectively. Supplemental vitamin E intake was non-significantly associated with ARC risk (relative risk=0·92; 95% CI 0·78, 1·07). The findings from dose-response analysis showed evidence of a non-linear association between dietary vitamin E intake and ARC. The risk of ARC decreased with dietary vitamin E intake from 7 mg/d (relative risk=0·94; 95% CI 0·90, 0·97).

Conclusions: The findings of the meta-analysis indicated that dietary vitamin E intake, dietary and supplemental vitamin E intake, and high level of serum tocopherol might be significantly associated with reduced ARC risk.

Keywords: Age-related cataract; Meta-analysis; Serum tocopherol; Vitamin E.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Flow diagram of the literature search (RR, relative risk)
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Forest plot for the pooled relative risk (RR) of dietary vitamin E intake and age-related cataract. The study-specific RR and 95 % CI are represented by the grey square and horizontal line, respectively; the area of the grey square is proportional to the specific-study weight to the overall meta-analysis. The centre of the diamond presents the pooled RR risk and its width represents the pooled 95 % CI. D+L denotes the random-effect model; I–V denotes the fixed-effect model
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
The dose–response analysis between dietary vitamin E intake and risk of age-related cataract. formula image and formula image represent the estimated relative risk (RR) and its 95 % CI, respectively, from the spline model; formula image represents the linear model
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Forest plot for the pooled relative risk (RR) of serum tocopherol levels and age-related cataract. The study-specific RR and 95 % CI are represented by the grey square and horizontal line, respectively; the area of the grey square is proportional to the specific-study weight to the overall meta-analysis. The centre of the diamond presents the pooled RR risk and its width represents the pooled 95 % CI. D+L denotes the random-effect model; I–V denotes the fixed-effect model
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Funnel plot with pseudo 95 % confidence limits (formula image) of the associations between serum tocopherol levels and age-related cataract (HR, hazard ratio)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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