Diagnostic accuracy of plain potassium hydroxide mount and culture in tinea pedis

ABSTRACT

To determine the diagnostic accuracy of direct microscopy in clinically diagnosed cases of tinea pedis by keeping culture as gold standard. validation study. Department of Dermatology Military Hospital and Armed Forces Institute of Pathology Rawalpindi from January 2008 to July 2008. One hundred clinically diagnosed cases of tinea pedis were subjected to direct microscopy with 10% KOH and fungal culture. Direct microscopic examination was positive in 34% and culture in 60% of the cases. The sensitivity and specificity of direct microscopy were 38.33% and 72.5%, respectively keeping culture as gold standard. Direct microscopy had a positive predictive value of 67.65% and negative predictive value of 43.94%.Direct microscopy with 10% KOH may not be sufficient alone therefore cultures should be used for a definitive diagnosis