Influence of Dental Intervention and Disease on Acute Invasive Fungal Rhinosinusitis Severity and Outcomes

Background Acute invasive fungal rhinosinusitis (AIFRS) is an aggressive and often fatal disease process that principally impacts immunocompromised patients. Maxillary dental trauma and infections have been associated with the development of maxillary sinus fungal balls, but the role of dental procedures/trauma in the pathogenesis of AIFRS remains poorly defined. Objective This study seeks to review a single-institutional experience with AIFRS and examine the association between dental events and AIFRS severity and outcomes. Methods Retrospective review of 95 consecutive patients with biopsy-proven AIFRS treated at a tertiary institution between 2010 and 2024. Demographic information, comorbidities, disease course and outcomes were evaluated. The primary objective was to evaluate the impact of antecedent dental events on AIFRS morbidity and mortality. Secondary objectives included evaluating variability in demographic factors, comorbidities, and extent of disease. Results Eleven patients with an antecedent dental event within 2 weeks of AIFRS diagnosis were identified for a rate of 11.6%. Dental AIFRS patients were more likely to be African American ( P = .003) and more likely to have diabetes mellitus as their underlying immunodeficiency ( P = .03) than non-dental AIFRS patients. Patients with dental-related AIFRS were more likely to present with invasion of the orbit (OR 6.0, 95% CI 1.2-29.5) and nasal floor (OR 4.2, 95% CI 1.1-17.1) than non-dental AIFRS patients. There was no difference in mortality between dental and non-dental AIFRS (36.4% vs 52.4%, P = .31). Conclusion More investigation is necessary to further evaluate the association between dental events and the development of AIFRS. In our cohort, 11.6% of patients experienced AIFRS within 2 weeks of a dental event and these patients tended to present with higher rates of orbital involvement without a resultant increase in mortality.