An epidemiological assessment of lens opacifications that impaired vision in patients injected with radium-224. 1988

D Chmelevsky, and C W Mays, and H Spiess, and F H Stefani, and A M Kellerer
Institut für Strahlenschutz der GSF, Neuherberg, Federal Republic of Germany.

The incidence of lens opacifications that impaired vision (cataract) was analyzed among 831 patients who were injected with known dosages of 224Ra in Germany shortly after World War II. The dependence of the incidence on dosage, i.e., injected activity per unit body weight, and on time after treatment was determined. The observations are equally consistent with proportionality of the incidence of cataract to the square of dosage or with a linear dependence beyond a threshold of 0.5 MBq/kg. The possibility of a linear dependence without threshold was strongly rejected (P less than 0.001). The analysis of temporal dependences yielded a component that was correlated with the injected amount of 224Ra and a component that was uncorrelated. The former was inferred by a maximum likelihood analysis to increase approximately as the square of the time after treatment. The component unrelated to the treatment was found to increase steeply with age and to become dominant within the collective of patients between age 50 and 60. The relative magnitudes of the two components were such that a fraction of 55 to 60% of the total of 58 cataracts had to be ascribed to the dose-related incidence. Impaired vision due to cataract was diagnosed before age 54 in 25 cases. In terms of injected activity per unit body weight no dependence of the sensitivity on age was found; specifically there was no indication of a faster occurrence of the treatment-related cataracts in patients treated at older ages.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
D008954 Models, Biological Theoretical representations that simulate the behavior or activity of biological processes or diseases. For disease models in living animals, DISEASE MODELS, ANIMAL is available. Biological models include the use of mathematical equations, computers, and other electronic equipment. Biological Model,Biological Models,Model, Biological,Models, Biologic,Biologic Model,Biologic Models,Model, Biologic
D011832 Radiation Injuries Harmful effects of non-experimental exposure to ionizing or non-ionizing radiation in VERTEBRATES. Radiation Sickness,Radiation Syndrome,Injuries, Radiation,Injury, Radiation,Radiation Injury,Radiation Sicknesses,Radiation Syndromes,Sickness, Radiation,Sicknesses, Radiation,Syndrome, Radiation,Syndromes, Radiation
D011883 Radium A radioactive element of the alkaline earth series of metals. It has the atomic symbol Ra and atomic number 88. Radium is the product of the disintegration of URANIUM and is present in pitchblende and all ores containing uranium. It is used clinically as a source of beta and gamma-rays in radiotherapy, particularly BRACHYTHERAPY.
D001835 Body Weight The mass or quantity of heaviness of an individual. It is expressed by units of pounds or kilograms. Body Weights,Weight, Body,Weights, Body
D002386 Cataract Partial or complete opacity on or in the lens or capsule of one or both eyes, impairing vision or causing blindness. The many kinds of cataract are classified by their morphology (size, shape, location) or etiology (cause and time of occurrence). (Dorland, 27th ed) Cataract, Membranous,Lens Opacities,Pseudoaphakia,Cataracts,Cataracts, Membranous,Lens Opacity,Membranous Cataract,Membranous Cataracts,Opacities, Lens,Opacity, Lens,Pseudoaphakias
D002648 Child A person 6 to 12 years of age. An individual 2 to 5 years old is CHILD, PRESCHOOL. Children
D004307 Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation The relationship between the dose of administered radiation and the response of the organism or tissue to the radiation. Dose Response Relationship, Radiation,Dose-Response Relationships, Radiation,Radiation Dose-Response Relationship,Radiation Dose-Response Relationships,Relationship, Radiation Dose-Response,Relationships, Radiation Dose-Response
D005260 Female Females

Related Publications

D Chmelevsky, and C W Mays, and H Spiess, and F H Stefani, and A M Kellerer
January 1989, Developments in ophthalmology,
D Chmelevsky, and C W Mays, and H Spiess, and F H Stefani, and A M Kellerer
September 2010, Radiation research,
D Chmelevsky, and C W Mays, and H Spiess, and F H Stefani, and A M Kellerer
August 1978, Zeitschrift fur Orthopadie und ihre Grenzgebiete,
D Chmelevsky, and C W Mays, and H Spiess, and F H Stefani, and A M Kellerer
August 1996, Radiation research,
D Chmelevsky, and C W Mays, and H Spiess, and F H Stefani, and A M Kellerer
December 1999, Radiation research,
D Chmelevsky, and C W Mays, and H Spiess, and F H Stefani, and A M Kellerer
August 1978, Zeitschrift fur Orthopadie und ihre Grenzgebiete,
D Chmelevsky, and C W Mays, and H Spiess, and F H Stefani, and A M Kellerer
October 2012, Cornea,
D Chmelevsky, and C W Mays, and H Spiess, and F H Stefani, and A M Kellerer
September 2018, BMC ophthalmology,
D Chmelevsky, and C W Mays, and H Spiess, and F H Stefani, and A M Kellerer
January 2021, Current opinion in ophthalmology,
D Chmelevsky, and C W Mays, and H Spiess, and F H Stefani, and A M Kellerer
June 2021, Archives of pathology & laboratory medicine,
Copied contents to your clipboard!