Better Skin Care Curbs Incontinence Dermatitis

Abstract

OTTAWA — A skin care regimen used three times weekly in nursing home residents with incontinence was as effective as a similar regimen applied after each incontinence episode in preventing incontinence dermatitis, according to findings presented at the annual conference of the Canadian Association of Wound Care.Incontinence affects about half of older institutionalized adults, and its prevalence increases with age. If left untreated, incontinence can lead to erythema, inflammation, or other damage in the perineal area, wrote Donna Z. Bliss, Ph.D., of the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis in a poster presentation.To compare the effectiveness of four treatment regimens to prevent incontinence dermatitis in elderly patients, Dr. Bliss and her colleagues conducted an open-label study in which nursing home staff members monitored the skin of incontinent residents daily for 6 weeks while treating them with one of four methods.The study, which was sponsored by 3M Health Care, included 16 nursing homes located in several regions of the United States. Dr. Bliss reported no financial interest in any of the products used in the 6-week study.In regimen A, an acrylate polymer-based barrier film was applied to the affected area three times weekly. In regimen B, an ointment with 43% petrolatum was applied after each episode of incontinence. In regimen C, a cream with 12% zinc oxide plus 1% dimethicone was applied after each incontinence episode, and in regimen D, an ointment with 98% petrolatum was applied to affected areas after each incontinence episode.Overall, only 33 of 981 residents (3.4%) developed new cases of incontinence dermatitis during the course of the study and there were no significant differences among the four groups.The incidence for patients who received regimen A was 3.6%, compared with 2.1% for those who received regimen B, 4.1% for regimen C, and 4.0% for regimen D.But the total cost per episode of incontinence was significantly lower among patients who received the three-times a week acrylate polymer-based film treatment (regimen A), compared with the episodic treatment in regimens B, C, and D.Of note, the nursing assistant staffing needs for those patients who were treated with regimen A were similar to or less than that of the patients who were in the other groups, and this reduced labor cost consequently contributed to the total cost savings. OTTAWA — A skin care regimen used three times weekly in nursing home residents with incontinence was as effective as a similar regimen applied after each incontinence episode in preventing incontinence dermatitis, according to findings presented at the annual conference of the Canadian Association of Wound Care. Incontinence affects about half of older institutionalized adults, and its prevalence increases with age. If left untreated, incontinence can lead to erythema, inflammation, or other damage in the perineal area, wrote Donna Z. Bliss, Ph.D., of the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis in a poster presentation. To compare the effectiveness of four treatment regimens to prevent incontinence dermatitis in elderly patients, Dr. Bliss and her colleagues conducted an open-label study in which nursing home staff members monitored the skin of incontinent residents daily for 6 weeks while treating them with one of four methods. The study, which was sponsored by 3M Health Care, included 16 nursing homes located in several regions of the United States. Dr. Bliss reported no financial interest in any of the products used in the 6-week study. In regimen A, an acrylate polymer-based barrier film was applied to the affected area three times weekly. In regimen B, an ointment with 43% petrolatum was applied after each episode of incontinence. In regimen C, a cream with 12% zinc oxide plus 1% dimethicone was applied after each incontinence episode, and in regimen D, an ointment with 98% petrolatum was applied to affected areas after each incontinence episode. Overall, only 33 of 981 residents (3.4%) developed new cases of incontinence dermatitis during the course of the study and there were no significant differences among the four groups. The incidence for patients who received regimen A was 3.6%, compared with 2.1% for those who received regimen B, 4.1% for regimen C, and 4.0% for regimen D. But the total cost per episode of incontinence was significantly lower among patients who received the three-times a week acrylate polymer-based film treatment (regimen A), compared with the episodic treatment in regimens B, C, and D. Of note, the nursing assistant staffing needs for those patients who were treated with regimen A were similar to or less than that of the patients who were in the other groups, and this reduced labor cost consequently contributed to the total cost savings.