title: Conjunctival Chemosis as a Specific Feature of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Corneal Ulcers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Timely identification of a bacterial agent and its corresponding antibiotic sensitivity pattern is paramount in the management of infective corneal ulcers. Isolating the microbiological agents can take time; during this time, the initial therapy used is a chosen form of broad-spectrum antibiotics. There are no specific features of bacterial corneal ulcers that aid in identification of the involved pathogen with certainty. A clinical "marker" would undoubtedly be useful in the management of corneal ulcers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Early clinical photographs and clinical notes of 62 cases with confirmed infective corneal ulcers were examined by a masked reviewer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Conjunctival chemosis was observed in 14 out of 16 cases of Pseudomonas aeruginosa-related corneal ulcers, as compared with 6 out of 46 cases caused by other organisms. The association between conjunctival chemosis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa is statistically significant, with P value <0.000001 and odds ratio 42.0 (7.2-470) using the Fisher exact test.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that conjunctival chemosis could be a useful marker to predict the presence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in bacterial corneal ulcers.
authors.affiliation: Tennent Institute of Ophthalmology, Gartnavel General Hospital, Glasgow, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Kaleena B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Michael
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rotchford
authors.forename: Kanna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ramaesh
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003229:Conjunctival Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D003320:Corneal Ulcer / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D004487:Edema / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D015818:Eye Infections, Bacterial / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011552:Pseudomonas Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000302:isolation & purification*