NCT04193774

Optimization of Sampling and Processing of Samples for Molecular Microbial Research on Ocular Surface Samples

Optimization of Sampling for Molecular Microbial Research on Ocular Surface Samples and Building a Framework for Comparing Current Sequencing Results Using Different Extraction Protocols.

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 24 (actual)
• Sponsor: Universitaire Ziekenhuizen KU Leuven · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

The use of anesthetics and the processing of the retrieved samples are major confounding factors that influence the results of microbiome research.

Detailed description

The use of anesthetics is subject of discussion in ocular surface microbiome research. One publication showed a significant lower alpha diversity when using an anesthetic. However, the diluting effect of the anesthetic drop itself was not accounted for. On the other hand, using anesthetics will enable patients to tolerate sampling better and this might allow better sampling. To analyze the effect of anesthetic drops on the composition of the ocular surface microbiome, we sampled volunteers undergoing general anesthesia. By using artificial tears as a control, we aimed at accounting for the diluting effect of the anesthetic. By using volunteers under general anesthesia, we wanted to assure similar pressure with or without topical anesthesia since the executor was not influenced by the patient's reaction. Furthermore, the effect of different extraction protocols on sequencing results will be assessed by sampling different volunteers in both eyes on non consecutive days.

Conditions

• Microbiota
• Ocular Surface

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DIAGNOSTIC_TEST	Conjunctival swab	Swab of the conjunctival fornices of both eyes
DRUG	Oxybuprocaine Hydrochloride 0.4% Eye Drops	One drop of topical anesthesia in one eye
DRUG	artificial tears	One drop of artificial tears in the other eye

Timeline

• Start date: 2019-08-19
• Primary completion: 2021-12-31
• Completion: 2021-12-31
• First posted: 2019-12-10
• Last updated: 2022-07-22

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Belgium