Incidence of Sinusitis Associated With Endotracheal and Nasogastric Tubes: NIS Database

Endotracheal and nasogastric tubes are recognized risk factors for nosocomial sinusitis. The extent to which these tubes affect the overall incidence of nosocomial sinusitis in acute care hospitals is unknown.

To use data for 2008 through 2013 from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample database to compare the incidence of sinusitis in patients with nasogastric tubes with that in patients with an endotracheal tube alone or with both an endotracheal tube and a nasogastric tube.

Patients' data with any of the following International Classification of Disease, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification codes were abstracted from the database: (1) 96.6, enteral infusion of concentrated nutritional substances; (2) 96.07, insertion of other (naso-)gastric tube; or (3) 96.04, insertion of an endotracheal tube. Sinusitis was defined by the appropriate codes. Weighted and unweighted frequencies and weighted percentages were calculated, categorical comparisons were made by χ² test, and logistic regression was used to examine odds of sinusitis development by tube type.

Of 1 141 632 included cases, most (68.57%) had an endotracheal tube only, 23.02% had a nasogastric tube only, and 8.41% had both types of tubes. Sinusitis was present in 0.15% of the sample. Compared with patients with only a nasogastric tube, the risk for sinusitis was 41% greater in patients with an endotracheal tube and 200% greater in patients with both tubes.

Despite the low incidence of sinusitis, a significant association exists between sinusitis and the presence of an endotracheal tube, especially when a nasogastric tube is also present.