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Comparative clinical analysis of polymicrobial and monomicrobial bacterial keratitis

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First Author: C.Cho SOUTH KOREA

Co Author(s):    S. Lee   S. Baek   -. -              

Abstract Details

Purpose:

This study aimed to comparatively analyze the clinical aspects and treatment outcomes between polymicrobial and monomicrobial bacterial keratitis.

Setting:

Retrospective, Consecutive case series. Department of Ophthalmology, Yeungnam University College of Medicine, South Korea.

Methods:

One hundred ninety-four cases of bacterial keratitis at Yeungnam University Hospital between January 2007 and December 2016 were reviewed. Microbiological profiles, epidemiology, predisposing factors, clinical characteristics, and treatment outcomes were compared between the polymicrobial (group A; 29 eyes, 62 isolates) and monomicrobial (group B; 165 eyes, 165 isolates) groups. Poor clinical outcome was defined as a final BCVA of <6/60 or decreased visual acuity after treatment or cases requiring surgical intervention.

Results:

Common isolates were Enterobacter (24%) and Pseudomonas (18%) in group A; Staphylococcus (22%) and Pseudomonas (22%) in group B. Previous history of ocular surface disease, ocular surgery, and topical steroid use between the two groups did not differ significantly. Age ≥60 years (31%:51%; p=0.048), symptom duration (4.7:8.0 days; p=0.01), contact lens use (34%:18%; p=0.04), and mean epithelial defect size (5.6:9.8 mm2; p=0.01) were significantly different between the two groups. Epithelial healing time >14 days (33.3:41.9%, p=0.382), final BCVA (0.58:0.87 logMAR, p=0.21), surgical intervention (3%:13%; p=0.21), and poor clinical outcome (23%:36%; p=0.22) did not differ significantly between the two groups.

Conclusions:

Polymicrobial bacterial keratitis, compared to monomicrobial bacterial keratitis, showed significant association with younger age, contact lens use, shorter symptom duration, and smaller initial epithelial defect size. Treatment outcomes in polymicrobial bacterial keratitis were not worse than that in monomicrobial bacterial keratitis.

Financial Disclosure:

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