Clinical analysis of microbiologically proven fungal keratitis according to prior topical steroid use: a retrospective study in South Korea

Table 2 Microbiological test results^a according to prior topical steroid use

	PS (n = 30)	NPS (n = 53)	p-value
Identified fungal isolates^b	16 (53.3)	14 (26.4)	0.014
Candida species^#	6 (37.5)	6 (42.9)	0.765
Fusarium species^#	3 (18.8)	5 (35.7)	0.417^§
Aspergillus species^#	4 (25.0)	0 (0.0)	0.103^§
Syncephalastrum species^#	0 (0.0)	1 (7.1)	0.467^§
Alternaria species^#	1 (6.2)	0 (0.0)	1.000^§
Cryptococcus species^#	1 (6.2)	0 (0.0)	1.000^§
Acremonium species^#	1 (6.2)	0 (0.0)	1.000^§
Unknown species^#	0 (0.0)	2 (3.8)	0.209^§
KOH smear positive	20 (66.7)	46 (86.8)	0.029
Identified fungal isolates and KOH smear positive	6 (20.0)	7 (13.2)	0.532^§

Values are presented as number (%)
KOH potassium hydroxide, NPS group of no prior topical steroid use, PCR polymerase chain reaction, PS group of prior topical steroid use
^#Percentage and p-value of each species were calculated based on the identified fungal isolates
^§The p-value was calculated using Fisher’s exact test
^aDefined as positive result if at least one of the following is included: (a) positive fungal culture from a corneal specimen, (b) positive identification of fungal elements on a 10% KOH smear, (c) positive identification of fungal elements on multiplex PCR, or (d) histopathology showing presence of fungal elements
^bIdentified by culture, multiplex PCR, and biopsy

ISSN: 1471-2415