Clinical Review of Endogenous Endophthalmitis in Korea: A 14-Year Review of Culture Positive Cases of Two Large Hospitals

PURPOSE To identify the clinical features and outcomes of endogenous endophthalmitis in Korea. MATERIALS AND METHODS We reviewed 18 patients with endogenous endophthalmitis at 2 Korean hospitals, treated over a 14 year period between January 1993 and December 2006. RESULTS The comorbidities observed in these cases were diabetes mellitus and liver cirrhosis. The most common pathogens, which were found in 7 patients each (38.9%), were Klebsiella pneumonia and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. All patients were treated with systemic antibiotics and fortified topical antibiotics. A surgical approach including vitrectomy was performed in 9 cases (50.0%). The prognosis was generally poor, and visual acuity improved slightly in 6 patients (33.3%). CONCLUSION In this study, diabetes mellitus and Klebsiella pneumonia showed a close relationship with endogenous endophthalmitis, respectively. Endogenous endophthalmitis is a serious risk to sight and careful attention to establishing the diagnosis and management may decrease the ocular morbidity.