Incidence of endophthalmitis following intravitreal anti VEGF injections at a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan

Abstract

Objective: To assess the rate of infectious endophthalmitis with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor injection, and to evaluate institutional procedure protocol in this regard. Methods: The retrospective consecutive case series was conducted at Shifa International Hospital, Islamabad, Pakistan, from August 2018 to January 2019, and comprised 5-year data from August 2014 to July 2019 related to patients who underwent intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor injections. Data was analysed using SPSS 21. Results: Of the 7,542 injections administered to 2,734 patients, 5,976(79.2%) were bevacizumab, 1,081(14.3%) ranibizumab and 485(6.4%) aflibercept. There was 1(0.01%) case of infectious endophthalmitis which was treated with 25 gauge pars plana vitrectomy. Conclusion: The institutional procedure protocol was found to be effective as the rate of infectious endophthalmitis was lower than what is reported in literature.