Klebsiella pneumoniae Infection Leads to a Poor Visual Outcome in Endogenous Endophthalmitis: A 12-year Experience in Southern Taiwan

PURPOSE: To compare the characteristics, visual outcome, and prognostic factors of patients with endogenous endophthalmitis and to determine the association of endophthalmitis with Klebsiella pneumoniae infection. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed records of patients diagnosed with endogenous endophthalmitis from January 2002 to August 2013. RESULTS: A total of 86 patients were diagnosed with endogenous endophthalmitis; 48 patients were infected with K. pneumoniae, 28 patients were infected with other pathogens, and 10 were culture-negative. Diabetes mellitus was more prevalent among patients infected with K. pneumoniae. Liver abscess and urinary tract infection were the leading sources of infection in patients with and without a K. pneumoniae infection, respectively. In patients with endogenous endophthalmitis, poor initial vision (p<0.001) and K. pneumoniae infection (p = 0.048) were significantly associated with a poor visual outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Poor initial vision and K. pneumoniae infection were significantly associated with poorer visual outcome for patients with endogenous endophthalmitis.