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Sex, age, capsular rupture leading risk factors for acute endophthalmitis after cataract surgery
Ophthalmology. 2009;116(3):425-430.
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While the overall rates of suspected acute endophthalmitis after cataract surgery were found to be low, the infection rate was significantly higher in specific patient groups, a large population-based study found.
The retrospective cohort study looked at administrative data of more than 440,000 consecutive cataract surgeries performed over 4 years in Ontario, Canada. Of those cases, 617 were suspected to have acute endophthalmitis. Unadjusted and adjusted rates of suspected acute endophthalmitis were 1.4 per 1,000 cataract surgeries, the study found.
Three main risk factors for suspected acute endophthalmitis were identified from the data.
Men had higher rates of suspected acute endophthalmitis than women (1.70 vs. 1.19/1,000 surgeries, P < .0001). Those 85 years or older had the highest rate (2.18/1,000) of the infection among the age groups studied. In addition, the rate of endophthalmitis was approximately 10 times higher for patients with capsular rupture vs. those without (13.11 vs. 1.34/1,000, P < .0001).
"Our population-based analysis can be used as a benchmark for quality-improvement initiatives and can assist clinicians in educating their patients regarding the risks associated with cataract surgery," the study authors said.