Are higher odontogenic infection severity scores associated with difficult intubations?

This study aimed to determine if there is a relation between odontogenic infection severity score (OISS) and difficult intubation at the time of surgical treatment for severe odontogenic infections (SOI). A secondary goal of this study was to determine the utility of OISS as a predictor of difficult intubations.

This retrospective cohort study was composed of consecutive patients admitted and surgically treated in the operating room (OR) for SOIs. Patients with an OISS ≥ 5 were designated as Group 1 and < 5 Group 2.

There was a statistically significant difference in difficult intubations between the two groups (p = 0.018). Patients with an OISS ≥ 5 were nearly four times more likely to be difficult intubations compared to patients with an OISS < 5 (OR 3.70, 95% CI 1.19-11.45). When OISS ≥ 5 was used to predict difficult intubation, the sensitivity was 69%, the specificity was 63%, the positive predictive value was 23%, and the negative predictive value was 93%.

OISS ≥ 5 was associated with a higher prevalence of difficult intubations compared to an OISS < 5. OISS may provide clinically relevant data that can be used with established risk factors, laboratory values, and clinical judgment.