Prior intravitreal injections are not an independent risk factor for posterior capsular rupture during cataract surgery after adjusting for other variables, according to a recent study.
The retrospective cohort study, published in the Canadian Journal of Ophthalmology, evaluated whether prior intravitreal injections (IVI) increase the risk of posterior capsular rupture (PCR) during cataract surgery. Researchers analyzed 54,046 cataract surgeries performed from January 2005 to December 2020 to determine if a history of IVIs was an independent risk factor for PCR after adjusting for known variables such as age, combined surgery, pseudoexfoliation (PEX), surgeon's experience, and type of cataract surgery.
The initial univariable analysis revealed a statistically significant higher rate of PCR in patients with previous IVIs (odds ratio [OR], 1.27; 95% CI, 1.10–1.46; p = .008). However, this association lost statistical significance after adjusting for confounding factors (OR, 1.04; 95% CI, 0.89–1.21; p = .664). Notably, PEX, type of cataract surgery, and combined surgeries remained significant risk factors in the multivariable analysis.
The study concluded that prior IVIs are not an independent risk factor for PCR during cataract surgery when accounting for other variables. Researchers noted that further research is needed to explore the influence of confounding factors on the role of previous intravitreal injections as a risk factor for posterior capsular rupture during cataract surgery.
The authors reported no conflicts of interest.