Epidemiology of postoperative endophthalmitis in an Asian population: 11-year incidence and effect of intracameral antibiotic agents

Abstract

To describe the incidence of postoperative endophthalmitis after cataract surgery in a multiethnic Asian population over an 11-year period, compare the endophthalmitis rates before and after the use of intracameral antibiotic agents, and identify potential risk factors for endophthalmitis. Department of Ophthalmology, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore. Cohort study. The incidence and risk factors for postoperative endophthalmitis in patients who had cataract surgery over 11 years were reviewed. Subconjunctival antibiotic agents only were administered over 7 years; in the subsequent 4 years, intracameral cefazolin (1.0 mg/0.1 mL) was used. The overall incidence of postoperative endophthalmitis in 50,177 was 0.042%. Over the 7 years without intracameral antibiotics, the endophthalmitis rate was 0.064% (19/29,539). With the use of intracameral cefazolin, the incidence decreased to 0.01% (2/20,638) (multivariate odds ratio [OR], 13.6; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.15-58.58; P<.001). The independent risk factors for endophthalmitis were age (OR, 1.05; 95% CI, 1.01-1.09; P=.025) and male sex (0.06% versus 0.02%; OR, 2.96; 95% CI; 1.15-7.65; P=.025). There was a significant reduction in the rate of postoperative endophthalmitis in a multiethnic Asian population with the use of intracameral cefazolin. Men and older patients were at a higher risk for endophthalmitis. No author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned.