Height and cataract

¹ Departments of Pediatrics and Medical Genetics Oregon Health & Science University Portland, OR 97225

Correspondence: E-mail: buistn{at}ohsu.edu

Dear Sir:

The article about body fat distribution and height and their relation to cataract in men in a recent issue of the Journal (1) raises some possible genetic questions. In several genetic syndromes, increased height can be associated with an increased incidence of cataract in adults. One such syndrome is Stickler syndrome, which is dominantly inherited and not at all uncommon. Moreover, Stickler syndrome is not commonly recognized, often being mistaken for the better-known Marfan syndrome. In Stickler syndrome, height is usually greater than normal and the incidence of both cataract and retinal detachment are increased in addition to a variable constellation of other findings. Such genetic conditions could well influence the statistical relation between height and cataract while having nothing to do with the nutritional habits of the affected individuals.

REFERENCE

1. Schaumberg DA, Glynn RJ, Christen WG, Hankinson SE, Hennekens CH. Relations of body fat distribution and height with cataract in men. Am J Clin Nutr 2000;72:1495–502.