Diagnosing corneal infection - version 1

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Diagnosis of microbial keratitis using corneal impression membrane

• IRAS ID

  259118

• Contact name

  Ian MacCormick

• Contact email

  ian.maccormick@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  University of Edinburgh

• Duration of Study in the UK

  1 years, 0 months, 0 days

• Research summary

  Microbial keratitis is a common and serious eye disease in Edinburgh. Prompt treatment with antibiotics can prevent sight loss, and identification of the micro-organism and its antibiotic sensitivities are key to appropriate management. Standard practice of collecting infected material from the cornea using a blade can be distressing and time-consuming. Corneal impression membranes (CIM) have recently been introduced to another NHS eye unit (St Paul's Eye Unit, Liverpool) as they detect more micro-organisms and are more patient-friendly than corneal scrape. The aim of our study is to compare CIM with reference to current standard practice of corneal scrape. If CIM have greater sensitivity and fewer adverse events than scrape then we will consider using CIM instead of scrape in routine clinical care. We will also collect additional CIM to help develop new microbiological tests being developed at the University of Edinburgh, which if successful could be applied to CIM at the bedside to further improve the speed of diagnosis in the future. Development of the new microbiological tests is facilitated by having samples of germs from eye infections.

  Study design: cross-sectional study comparing diagnostic techniques
  Participants: recruited from the Acute referral clinic at the Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion, or emergency on-call ophthalmology service
  What is involved: subjects with microbial keratitis will have standard investigations to identify the germ causing the infection. In addition we will capture germs using CIM. We will compare CIM with the standard test to see which is better.
  Funding: departmental funding

• REC name

  West Midlands - Edgbaston Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  19/WM/0356

• Date of REC Opinion

  23 Dec 2019

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion