Abstract | PURPOSE: METHODS: An online survey was sent to all subscribers of The Cornea Society via the kera-net listserv. Descriptive statistics were performed. RESULTS: Eighty-two participants completed the online survey. Of the 82 respondents, 76.8% included the combination of clinical examination and culture in their diagnostic strategy and 43.9% used confocal microscopy. Most respondents (97.6%) had used combination therapy with multiple agents to treat acanthamoeba keratitis at some point in the past, whereas a smaller proportion (47.6%) had ever used monotherapy. Respondents most commonly chose polyhexamethylene biguanide as the ideal choice for monotherapy (51.4%), and dual therapy with a biguanide and diamidine as the ideal choice for combination therapy (37.5%). The majority of respondents (62.2%) reported using topical corticosteroids at least some of the time for acanthamoeba keratitis. Keratoplasty was an option considered by most respondents (75.6%), although most (85.5%) would only perform surgery after medical treatment failure. CONCLUSIONS: There was a wide range of current practice patterns for the diagnosis and treatment of acanthamoeba keratitis. The lack of sufficiently powered comparative effectiveness studies and clinical trials makes evidence-based decision-making for this disease difficult.
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Authors | Catherine E Oldenburg, Nisha R Acharya, Elmer Y Tu, Michael E Zegans, Mark J Mannis, Bruce D Gaynor, John P Whitcher, Thomas M Lietman, Jeremy D Keenan |
Journal | Cornea
(Cornea)
Vol. 30
Issue 12
Pg. 1363-8
(Dec 2011)
ISSN: 1536-4798 [Electronic] United States |
PMID | 21993459
(Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
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Chemical References |
- Adrenal Cortex Hormones
- Anti-Bacterial Agents
- Antiprotozoal Agents
- Biguanides
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Topics |
- Acanthamoeba Keratitis
(diagnosis, therapy)
- Adrenal Cortex Hormones
(therapeutic use)
- Anti-Bacterial Agents
(therapeutic use)
- Antiprotozoal Agents
(therapeutic use)
- Biguanides
(therapeutic use)
- Drug Therapy, Combination
- Humans
- Keratoplasty, Penetrating
- Male
- Microscopy, Confocal
- Ophthalmology
- Practice Patterns, Physicians'
- Surveys and Questionnaires
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