Epidemiology, Risk Factors, Clinical Outcomes, And Prognostic Factors Of Infectious Keratitis: Tertiary Center Experience Over Five Years

Published 2025 - 43rd Congress of the ESCRS

Reference: PO505 | Type: Free paper | DOI: 10.82333/awpg-p891

Authors: Maryam Yadgari ¹ , Nader Nassiri* ² , Soheil Adib-Moghaddam ³ , Kourosh Sheibani ⁴ , Sara Kavousnezhad ⁵

¹Ophthalmology,Imam Hossein Medical Center,Tehran,Iran, Islamic Republic Of, ²Ophthalmology,Imam Hossein Medical Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences,Tehran,Iran, Islamic Republic Of, ³Ophthalmology,Universal Council of Ophthalmology (UCO),Tehran,Iran, Islamic Republic Of, ⁴Ophthalmology,Basir Eye Health Research Center,Tehran,Iran, Islamic Republic Of, ⁵Ophthalmology,Vanak Eye Surgery Center,Tehran,Iran, Islamic Republic Of

Purpose

To investigate the infectious keratitis profile, causative agents, underlying risk factors, and clinical outcomes reported over 5 years in Qatar.

Setting

Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar.

Methods

A retrospective analysis of all patients who received treatment for infectious keratitis at the Department of Ophthalmology between January 2019 and December 2023 was performed. Patients were included if they fulfilled the predefined criteria for infectious keratitis. Data regarding culture results, risk factors for infectious keratitis, visual acuity at the time of presentation, and the clinical course were obtained from medical records and microbiological reports.

Results

A total of 143 patients with microbial keratitis were included. The median age was 38 years (30–47.5). 93 (65%) of patients were male. 34 (21.1%) were culture-positive, and 107 (79.9%) were culture-negative. Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococci spp. were the most common pathogens in culture-positive patients (N=18, 53%). Most patients (N=104, 72.7%) had at least one risk factor. Ocular trauma was the most common risk factor (N=45, 31.5%). The mean CDVA (logMAR) improved from 0.78 at presentation to 0.48 at the final follow-up (p < 0.001). Multivariable logistic regression analysis demonstrated that poor corneal healing was significantly affected by culture positivity (OR 11.8; 95% CI, 1.49–233; p = 0.04)

Conclusions

Ocular trauma is the major risk factor for infectious keratitis in Qatar. Pseudomonas aeroginosa and Staphylococci spp. were the most common organisms isolated. Awareness campaigns about occupational hazards and ocular safety equipment could help decrease the burden of trauma-related infectious keratitis in the country. Further studies are required to determine the underlying causes of the low rate of culture positivity.