Factors influencing sialorrhea in orally intubated patients: a lasso and logistic regression analysis

To investigate the prevalence of sialorrhea in orally intubated patients and systematically analyze its influencing factors.

A cross-sectional study was conducted from March 15 to 31, 2025, involving 40 tertiary general hospitals across 10 prefecture-level cities in Sichuan Province, including Chengdu, Zigong, and Mianyang. The investigation assessed the current status of sialorrhea in patients undergoing oral endotracheal intubation.

A total of 453 questionnaires were collected, of which 440 were valid, yielding an effective response rate of 97.0%. Statistical analysis revealed that the incidence rate of sialorrhea among orally intubated patients was 27.27%. Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified the following as independent risk factors for sialorrhea: Body Mass Index (BMI) (OR = 1.365, 95% CI: 1.217-1.531), Smoking (OR = 8.944, 95% CI: 4.272-18.727), Number of Combined Functional Impairment Systems (OR = 2.844, 95% CI: 1.814-4.460), Combined Oral Disease (OR = 2.578, 95% CI: 1.240-5.359), and Neurological Diseases (OR = 4.040, 95% CI: 1.053-15.507). A restricted cubic spline analysis further demonstrated that when BMI exceeds 22.785, the risk of developing sialorrhea increases significantly.

The incidence of sialorrhea in orally intubated patients is at a moderate-to-low level. This condition is closely associated with elevated BMI, smoking, a higher number of combined functional impairments, the presence of oral disease, and underlying nervous system disorders.