Increased mortality rates after cataract surgery. A statistical analysis.

One hundred ninety-three patients 50 to 89 years of age had cataract surgery between January 1, 1979, and December 31, 1980, at West Virginia University Medical Center, Morgantown. In comparison with 182 patients who elected one of three other surgical procedures, cataract surgery patients had a significantly higher mortality rate (P = 0.0005) than control group patients, according to life-table analysis estimates adjusted for age and sex. Patients with adult onset diabetes mellitus had slight increased survival and did not alter relative mortality. The authors' results support the hypothesis that senile cataracts may reflect systemic factors in addition to localized ocular disease.