JAPMA
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Scherer, W. P.
Right arrow Articles by Scherer, M. D.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Scherer, W. P.
Right arrow Articles by Scherer, M. D.
Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association
Volume 94 Number 6 528-534 2004
Copyright © 2004 American Podiatric Medical Association

A Comparison of Results from Two Mycology Laboratories for the Diagnosis of Onychomycosis

A Study of 85 Cases in a Geriatric Population

William P. Scherer, DPM, MS * and Michael D. Scherer, BS {dagger}

* Private practice, Boca Raton, FL.
{dagger} College of Dental Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL.

Corresponding author: William P. Scherer, DPM, MS, PO Box 272207, Boca Raton, FL 33427.

Abstract

An investigative study was performed to compare the results from two mycology laboratories for the diagnosis of onychomycosis in a geriatric population and to determine the possible pharmacologic treatments based on the two laboratories’ results. In this study, 85 cases of suspected onychomycosis involving men and women 65 years and older from a nursing home setting in South Florida were used. Samples were taken from the hallux toenail and sent to two different mycology laboratories for fluorescent potassium hydroxide preparation and microscopic examination of a fungal culture. Of the 85 cases studied, the two mycology laboratories reported similar potassium hydroxide preparation results for 58.8% of the patients and similar fungal culture results for genus and species identification for 37.6% of the patients. When the potassium hydroxide preparation and fungal culture results were combined, the two mycology laboratories reported similar results for only 27.1% of the patients. As a result of the two mycology laboratories’ findings, the possible US Food and Drug Administration–approved pharmacologic treatments may differ for 43.5% of the patients studied. The discrepancy between the two independent laboratories leaves physicians to question the reproducibility of fluorescent potassium hydroxide preparation and fungal culture analysis in a geriatric patient population for the diagnosis of onychomycosis. (J Am Podiatr Med Assoc 94(6): 528–534, 2004)






HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 2004 by the American Podiatric Medical Association.