Corneal arcus and hyperlipidemia: findings from an older population.

Purpose: To quantify the association between arcus and hyperlipidemia in an older population.

Design: Cross-sectional population-based study.

Methods: Arcus and serum lipids were measured in the Blue Mountains Eye Study (n = 3,654, aged >49 years). Arcus was graded as absent, partial (<180 degrees) or circumferential (> or =180 degrees). Associations between arcus and hyperlipidemia were assessed using logistic regression, adjusting for age and vascular risk factors.

Results: Arcus was strongly associated with age (P <.0001). After age adjustment, arcus was associated with male sex (P <.01) and diabetes (P <.02) but not with hypertension or smoking. Corneal arcus was significantly associated with progressively higher levels of total cholesterol over 5 mmol/l. Adjusted odds increased from 1.6 for cholesterol 6.0 to 6.9 mmol/l to 4.6 for cholesterol >8.0 mmol/l, and was 1.9 for high triglyceride >3.0 mmol/l.

Conclusion: This population-based finding confirms that corneal arcus was associated with hypercholesterolemia and hypertriglyceridemia in older persons.