Does the sampling instrument influence corneal culture outcome in patients with infectious keratitis? A retrospective study comparing cotton tipped applicator with knife blade

BMJ Open Ophthalmology
Susanna SagerforsBo Söderquist

Abstract

This study aimed to compare the efficacy of a cotton tipped applicator and a knife blade in obtaining corneal samples in patients with infectious keratitis. This is a retrospective cohort study of patients with suspected infectious keratitis during 2004-2014. Samples for corneal culture were obtained by a cotton tipped applicator and a knife blade, and directly inoculated on GC agar, blood agar and Sabouraud agar. In all, 355 patients were included. Corneal sampling by cotton tipped applicator yielded a significantly higher rate of patients with positive corneal culture, 156/355 (43.9%), compared with knife blade, 111/355 (31.3%) (p<0.001). On a patient level, the culture results obtained by the cotton tipped applicator and the knife blade were identical in 269/355 (76%) of the patients. The overall agreement between the two instruments on microbial level was 0.66 (Cohen's kappa 95% CI 0.60 to 0.72). Corneal sampling by cotton tipped applicator generated a higher rate of positive corneal cultures and a higher proportion of isolated microbes than by knife blade. Future studies with randomised sampling order are needed to establish which instrument, cotton tipped applicator or knife blade, is the most effective in sampling microb...Continue Reading

References

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Sep 24, 2014·American Journal of Ophthalmology·Kaivon Pakzad-VaeziSimon P Holland

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Citations

Dec 29, 2020·The British Journal of Ophthalmology·Sabrina MukhtarVishal Jhanji

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BETA
scraping
scrapings

Software Mentioned

SPSS

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