Variables Associated With Culture-Positive Endophthalmitis After Intravitreal Injection of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Inhibitors

Abstract

Purpose: This work identifies predictive variables associated with culture-positive cases of acute endophthalmitis after vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitor injection. Methods: A retrospective review of cases of endophthalmitis following intravitreal anti-VEGF injection was performed. All patients received a vitreous biopsy or anterior chamber aqueous biopsy (if vitreous biopsy was not successful) that was sent for microbial cultures before initiation of treatment. Results: During a 10-year period, 258 357 anti-VEGF agent injections were performed, of which 40 patients (0.016%) developed presumed endophthalmitis. Sixty percent (n = 24) of the presumed endophthalmitis patients had a positive culture. In multivariable logistic analysis, patients who had a best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) worse than 20/400 were 35.3 times (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 95% CI, 2.2-576.1, P = .012) more likely to have a positive culture compared with those who had a BCVA of 20/400 or better. Patients who had pain at initial presentation were 27.0 times (AOR, 95% CI, 1.4-523.9, P = .029) more likely to have a positive culture compared with those who did not have pain at initial presentation. Age, sex, clinical diagnosis, smoking status, anti-VEGF agent injected, duration between last anti-VEGF injection and symptoms of endophthalmitis, duration between endophthalmitis symptoms and initial treatment, intraocular pressure at initial presentation, and presence of hypopyon were not associated with a difference in positive-culture yield. Conclusions: Visual acuity worse than 20/400 and pain at time of initial presentation secondary to endophthalmitis following anti-VEGF injection were strongly associated with a positive culture. Our data support consideration of vitrectomy in cases in which microbe identification is paramount.