[Nosocomial sinusitis in the intensive care unit: incidence, clinical characteristics and evolution].

OBJECTIVE

To describe incidence, epidemiologic characteristics, clinical manifestations, tomographic features, microbiologic findings and evolution of patients with nosocomial sinusitis (NS) in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

DESIGN

Retrospective and descriptive study.

SETTING

24-bed ICU from a public hospital.

PATIENTS: Patients admitted to the ICU for more than 48 hours who fulfilled CDC criteria of NS.

RESULTS

We found 18 cases of NS, that accounts for an incidence of 1.1% of all admitted patients. Average age was 46.3 +/- 18.3 years, with a predominance of males (89%): Average APACHE II was 20.2 +/- 6.3. All the cases had endotracheal intubation and 89% had a nasogastric tube. All the patients had fever and 83% purulent rhinorrhea or oral secretions. The maxillary sinus was the most affected (72%) followed by ethmoidal sinus (67%). A total of 66% of the patients had other SN associated infectious complications. ICU mortality was 5% and hospital mortality was 33%.

CONCLUSIONS

NS incidence in this study was low, but the risk of infectious complications was high.