Pediatric Microbial Keratitis in Taiwan: Clinical and Microbiological Profiles, 1998–2002 Versus 2008–2012

• Published in: American journal of ophthalmology Vol. 157; no. 5; pp. 1090 - 1096.e1
• Main Authors: Lee, Yung-Sung, Tan, Hsin-Yuan, Yeh, Lung-Kun, Lin, Hsin-Chiung, Ma, David H.K, Chen, Hung-Chi, Chen, Shin-Yi, Chen, Phil Y.F, Hsiao, Ching-Hsi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.05.2014; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Adolescent; Age; Age Distribution; Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology; Anti-Bacterial Agents - therapeutic use; Antibiotics; Bacteria; Bacteria - drug effects; Bacteria - isolation & purification; Child; Child, Preschool; Contact Lenses - microbiology; Corneal Ulcer - drug therapy; Corneal Ulcer - epidemiology; Corneal Ulcer - microbiology; Disease; Eye Infections, Bacterial - drug therapy; Eye Infections, Bacterial - epidemiology; Eye Infections, Bacterial - microbiology; Female; Gram-negative bacteria; Gram-positive bacteria; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Infections; Male; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Ophthalmology; Organisms; Pediatrics; Prevalence; Regression analysis; Retrospective Studies; Risk Factors; Sex Distribution; Taiwan - epidemiology; Ulcers; Taiwan
• ISSN: 0002-9394; 1879-1891
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ajo.2014.01.013

Purpose To identify the change in clinical and microbiological profiles of pediatric microbial keratitis in Taiwan between 1998–2002 and 2008–2012. Design Retrospective, observational study. Method setting : Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, a referral center in Taiwan. patient population : We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 68 eyes of 67 children aged 16 years or younger who were diagnosed with microbial keratitis and treated at our hospital between July 2008 and December 2012. main outcomes and measures : Predisposing factors, isolated organisms, antibiotic susceptibility, and clinical outcomes. The findings were compared with the results of our previous study conducted between July 1998 and December 2002. Results As in 1998–2002, the leading risk factor for microbial keratitis during 2008–2012 was contact lens use, and the infection rate significantly increased from 40.7% to 52.9% ( P  = .024), which was mainly attributable to the recent increase in the rate of orthokeratology-related keratitis from 9.9% to 19.1% ( P  = .011). Pseudomonas aeruginosa remained the most commonly isolated organism (30.6%), but the number of isolated coagulase-negative Staphylococcus cases increased significantly in the 2008–2012 cases ( P  = .04). Antibiotic susceptibility of organisms did not change significantly between the 2 study periods. By using multiple linear stepwise regression analysis, we found that gram-negative bacterial infection played a crucial role in poor visual outcome. Conclusions Contact lens–related microbial keratitis increased in Taiwanese children over time, especially because of the use of overnight orthokeratology. Clinicians must understand the infection background and pay further attention to contact lens use in pediatric patients.