Severity Of Pressure Injuries Research Articles

Influence of severity of illnesses on risk of death in intensive care unit patients with severity of pressure injuries as mediating variable.

This study was to verify whether the severity of pressure injuries (PIs) in intensive care unit (ICU) patients plays a mediating role in the relationship between severity of their illnesses and risk of death. I examined adult patients admitted to the ICUs between 1 January 2014 and 31 August 2021. The average follow-up period was 11.34 months. A total of 390 ICU patients suffered from PIs. The influences of the APACHE II score of the ICU patients on the mediating variable 'unstageable & DTPIs vs. Stage 1&2 PIs' and on risk of death were significant. After controlling the influence of APACHE II score on risk of death, the influences of mediating variables 'Stage 3&4 PIs vs. Stage 1&2 PIs' and 'unstageable & DTPIs vs. Stage 1&2 PIs' on risk of death were also significant. The regression coefficient of APACHE II score of the ICU patients declined after the severity of PIs was included. The Sobel test on the indirect effects also reached the level of significance. The severity of illnesses is a factor that is beyond my control, severe PIs should still be prevented to lower the risk of death.

Pressure injury prevalence and characteristics in patients with COVID-19 admitted to acute inpatient rehabilitation unit.

To investigate the incidence and severity of pressure injuries among COVID-19 patients who required acute hospitalization and subsequent acute inpatient rehabilitation (AIR). Data was collected retrospectively from medical charts of COVID-19 patients who were admitted to AIR during April 2020-April 2021. Acute Inpatient Rehabilitation at a single hospital in the greater New York metropolitan area. Subjects included COVID-19 patients (N = 120) who required acute hospitalization and subsequent acute inpatient rehabilitation, of whom 39 (32.5%) had pressure injuries. Not applicable. The incidence, location, and severity of pressure injuries in COVID-19 patients, as well as demographic and clinical characteristics of the acute hospitalization. Among patients who developed pressure injuries, more patients received mechanical ventilation (59% vs. 33%, P < 0.05) and tracheostomy (67% vs. 17%, P < 0.00001). The lengths of stay were longer in both the intensive care unit (ICU) (34 vs. 15 days, P < 0.005), and in acute inpatient rehabilitation (22 vs. 17 days P < 0.05). Pressure injuries were more common in COVID-19 patients who had longer lengths of stay, received mechanical ventilation or tracheostomy, during acute hospitalization. This supports the use of protocols to prioritize pressure offloading in this patient population.

Hospital-acquired skin lesions in the neonatal intensive care unit: A retrospective analysis of temporal trends and quality improvement strategies

PurposeSkin lesions in neonatal population are an emerging problem deserving attention from health care professionals. The purpose of this study is to retrospectively assess the incidence of hospital-acquired skin lesions during a 6-year period and to describe the characteristics of infants who developed them. Design and methodsThis was a retrospective observational study conducted in a university-tertiary care center between 2015 and 2020. A descriptive analysis of the observed skin lesions is presented according to 2 time periods: 1) the implementation phase of a quality improvement program (2015–2019) and 2) the postimplementation phase (2020). ResultsOur findings showed an apparent increase in the incidence of all reported skin lesions throughout the study period. Pressure injuries were the most frequently reported skin lesions showing an increasing incidence over time which, however, was paralleled by a reduction in their severity. Among pressure injuries, device-related injuries were the most commonly observed (56.6% and 62.5% in the two periods, respectively) with nasal continuous positive airway pressure-related injuries accounting for 71.7% and 56.0% of lesions, respectively, and mainly affecting the nose root. The occipital area was the most frequently involved site in cases of conventional pressure injuries. ConclusionInfants admitted to Neonatal Intensive Care Units may be at high risk of developing skin lesions. The adoption of appropriate preventative as well as treatment interventions could be effective in reducing the severity of pressure injuries. Practice implicationsThe implementation of quality improvement strategies may contribute to prevent skin injuries or lead to their early detection.

Mini Nutritional Assessment Score and Visceral Proteins as Potential Predictors of Pressure Injuries in Home Care Patients With Stroke

This study aimed to determine the presence of pressure injuries and their severity based on Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) score and visceral protein levels in stroke patients receiving home care services. A case-control study was conducted in a case group with pressure injury (n = 54) and in a control group with no pressure injury (n = 54). The MNA scores and serum albumin and prealbumin values were significantly lower in the case group than in the control group (P &lt; .001). There were also significant differences according to the pressure injury stages. Lower MNA score and low levels of serum albumin and prealbumin are associated with the presence of pressure injuries and increased severity of pressure injuries.

Sulfaphenazole reduces thermal and pressure injury severity through rapid restoration of tissue perfusion

Pressure injuries, also known as pressure ulcers, are regions of localized damage to the skin and/or underlying tissue. Repeated rounds of ischemia–reperfusion (I/R) have a major causative role for tissue damage in pressure injury. Ischemia prevents oxygen/nutrient supply, and restoration of blood flow induces a burst of reactive oxygen species that damages blood vessels, surrounding tissues and can halt blood flow return. Minimizing the consequences of repeated I/R is expected to provide a protective effect against pressure injury. Sulfaphenazole (SP), an off patent sulfonamide antibiotic, is a potent CYP 2C6 and CYP 2C9 inhibitor, functioning to decrease post-ischemic vascular dysfunction and increase blood flow. The therapeutic effect of SP on pressure injury was therefore investigated in apolipoprotein E knockout mice, a model of aging susceptible to ischemic injury, which were subjected to repeated rounds of I/R-induced skin injury. SP reduced overall severity, improved wound closure and increased wound tensile strength compared to vehicle-treated controls. Saliently, SP restored tissue perfusion in and around the wound rapidly to pre-injury levels, decreased tissue hypoxia, and reduced both inflammation and fibrosis. SP also demonstrated bactericidal activity through enhanced M1 macrophage activity. The efficacy of SP in reducing thermal injury severity was also demonstrated. SP is therefore a potential therapeutic option for pressure injury and other ischemic skin injuries.

Relationship between predisposing and facilitating factors: Does it influence the risk of developing peri-operative pressure injuries?

This study examined the relationship between the personal predisposing factors of patients and the severity of pressure injuries (PIs) developed during surgery. This retrospective cohort study collected 439 cases of peri-operative PIs. Using binary logistic regression to identify the variables associated with PI severity, the effects of interactions between associated variables were then tested. The results of this study revealed that among the personal predisposing factors, only higher patient age (P=.001) and higher body mass index (P < .001) posed a greater risk of stage 2 PIs or higher. Among the surgery-related facilitating factors, only patients who were placed in the prone position during surgery and patients who lost ≥1000 mL of blood during surgery were at greater risk of stage 2 PIs or higher, compared, respectively, to those placed in the supine position and those who lost ≤100 mL of blood. Furthermore, the amount of blood lost during surgery moderated the influence of age on PI severity. For elderly patients who are expected to lose a large blood volume during surgery or lose an immeasurable amount of blood due to the use of cardiopulmonary bypass, taking more precautionary measures to prevent PIs is recommended.

Retrospective study on the factors influencing the severity of pressure injuries among intensive care unit patients.

This study investigated the factors of pressure injuries in patients in intensive care units (ICU). Pressure injuries among patients in ICUs can be prevented by the early assessment of risk factors and taking appropriate preventative measures. A retrospective study. ICU patients who suffered from pressure injuries between January 2016 and August 2018 at a hospital in Taiwan were selected. Patient medical histories and data associated with pressure injuries and medical treatment were collected from electronic medical records. A total of 256 patients were included in our analysis. The study adhered to the STROBE checklist. A multivariate model of multinomial logistic regression analysis indicated that when compared to Stage 1 pressure injuries, Stage 2-4 pressure injuries were associated with albumin levels. Patients with lower albumin levels were at greater odds of Stage 2-4 pressure injuries than Stage 1 pressure injuries. In addition, when compared to unstageable pressure injuries or deep tissue injuries, Stage 1 pressure injuries were associated with the use of fentanyl and haemoglobin levels. Patients using fentanyl were more likely to suffer from unstageable pressure injuries, and those with lower haemoglobin levels were more likely to suffer from unstageable pressure injuries or deep tissue injuries. When patients were simultaneously on ventilators and taking midazolam or fentanyl, the incidence of pressure injuries with greater severity became higher. Furthermore, ICU patients with lower albumin and haemoglobin levels were more likely to suffer from pressure injuries of greater severity. For critically ill patients on ventilators, it is recommended to devise a means of assessing each patient daily as well as systematically reduce their dosage of midazolam or fentanyl. Furthermore, regularly monitoring albumin and haemoglobin levels to understand their nutritional status is necessary.

Incidence, severity and time course of pressure injuries over the first two years following discharge from hospital in people with spinal cord injuries in Bangladesh.

Cohort study embedded in a clinical trial. Community, Bangladesh. To determine the incidence, severity and time course of pressure injuries over the first two years following discharge from hospital in people with spinal cord injuries (SCI) in Bangladesh. Participants (n = 186) were contacted by telephone 39 times and assessed face-to-face4 to 6 times over the two years following discharge. At each point of contact the presence and severity of pressure injuries were determined using the Pressure Ulcer Scale for Healing (PUSH). Survival analyses were conducted to determine the time course of development of pressure injuries and recovery from pressure injuries. Lasso regression was used to construct multivariable prediction models. Seventy-seven participants (41%; 95% CI 34% to 49%) developed at least one pressure injury in the first two years after discharge (incidence rate 0.27 per person-year, 95% CI 0.22 to 0.34). Most pressure injuries were on the sacrum (23%). Pressure injuries took a median (IQR) of 40 (29 to 57) days to heal. The median (IQR) peak PUSH score was 11.0/17 (8.0 to 13.5). The multivariable prediction models had poor predictive properties (maximum c-statistic 0.75). Pressure injuries impose a large health burden on people with SCI in Bangladesh. However, they are difficult to predict, treat and prevent. Further research is needed to identify who is at most risk and to find solutions for the treatment and prevention of pressure injuries in Bangladesh and other low-middle income countries.

Association of Skin Microbiome with the Onset and Recurrence of Pressure Injury in Bedridden Elderly People.

Pressure injuries have been identified as one of the main health hazards among bedridden elderly people. Bedridden elderly people often stay in the same position for a long time, because they cannot switch positions; thus, the blood flow in the part of the body that is being compressed between the bed and their own weight is continuously blocked. As a result, redness and ulcers occur due to lacking oxygen and nutrients in the skin tissues, and these sites are often infected with microorganisms and, thus, become suppurative wounds, a condition commonly determined as pressure injuries. If left untreated, the pressure injury will recur with microbial infections, often resulting in cellulitis, osteomyelitis, and sepsis. The skin microbiome, in which many types of bacteria coexist, is formed on the skin surface. However, it remains unclear what characteristic of the skin microbiome among the bedridden elderly constitutes the development and severity of pressure injuries and the development of post-pressure injury infections. Thus, in this review article, we outlined the changes in the skin microbiome among the bedridden elderly people and their potential involvement in the onset and recurrence of pressure injuries.

Reducing the incidence and severity of pressure injuries in a high level care residential aged facility: a quality improvement project

Reducing the incidence and severity of pressure injuries in a high level care residential aged facility: a quality improvement project

Risk Factors of Severity of Pressure Injuries in Acute University Hospital Inpatients

본 연구는 급성기 종합병원 입원 욕창환자에서 욕창 중등도에 영향을 미치는 요인을 파악하기 위해 수행되었다. 입원환자의 퇴원시 욕창악화에 영향요인을 확인하기 위해 수집한 자료를 이차자료 분석하였다. 원 연구는 2017년 5월부터 2018년 11월까지 일 급성기 대학병원에 입원한 만 18세 이상의 욕창환자의 의무기록을 후향적으로 조사하여 자료수집하 였다. 이차자료 분석에 입원시 욕창이 있었던 472명의 자료를 이용하였다. 욕창 중증도에 따른 영향요인을 확인하기 위하 여, 표면욕창에 비해 중증욕창에 영향을 미치는 요인을 로지스틱 회귀분석을 통해 확인하였다. 연구결과 급성기 대학병원 입원 욕창환자는 전체 환자의 12.7%이었으며, 중증욕창은 그 중 19.1%이었다. 중증욕창에 영향을 미치는 요인으로 성별, 체온과 환자의 기동력이 확인되었다. 입원 욕창환자에 대한 피부관리가 필요하며, 특히 기동력이 저하된 환자에게 체위변경 의 횟수 증가 및 욕창부위 압력완화를 위한 관리가 요구된다.

Ultrasound assessment of deep tissue on the wound bed and periwound skin: A classification system using ultrasound images

AimsGiven the utility of ultrasonography in assessing pressure injury, some ultrasonographic findings have already been used as indicators of deep tissue pressure injury. Despite reports showing that a cloud-like ultrasonographic pattern reflected the presence of deep tissue necrosis, identifying cloud-like patterns was difficult given the presence of similar findings, such as a cobblestone-like pattern. This case series reports patients with pressure injuries who presented with a cloud-like (five cases) and cobblestone-like (four cases) pattern during ultrasonography. MethodsThis study was conducted at a Japanese university hospital. Participants included patients who underwent routine examination by an interdisciplinary pressure injury team. Pressure injury severity was assessed using the DESIGN-R® scoring system and the wound size were measured using ImageJ software based on the wound photograph. ResultsAmong the five cases showing a cloud-like pattern upon ultrasonography, all exhibited an increase in the total DESIGN-R® score, while three exhibited an increase in wound size. On the other hand, all four cases showing a cobblestone-like pattern displayed no increase in the total DESIGN-R® score and a decrease in wound size. ConclusionThis study suggested that distinguishing between cloud-like and cobblestone-like ultrasonography patterns is necessary for determining the presence or absence of deep tissue pressure injury. In order to comprehensively assess pressure injuries with ultrasonography, future studies should be conducted in a large number of participants.

Catheter-associated meatal pressure injury in hospitalized males.

To assess the prevalence of catheter-associated meatal pressure injury in acute hospitalized males, to determine risk factors for its formation and to propose a grading system for meatal pressure injury severity. In this cross-sectional study, we screened all adult males concurrently hospitalized at a tertiary medical center for indwelling urethral catheters and for meatal pressure injury. We proposed a system to grade meatal pressure injury severity and used logistic-regression modeling to calculate odds ratios (ORs) of possible risk factors. A number of 168/751 (22.4%) hospitalized males with indwelling urethral catheters were included. Median age was 70.5 (inter-quartile range [IQR]: 57.0-80.3) years, median time from catheterization 5.5 (IQR: 2-11) days. A total of 61 (36%) had meatal pressure injury, as early as the first day after catheterization. Grade III injuries (<2 cm ulcer) developed in 22 (13%) patients, earliest noted on the second catheter day, and grade IV injuries (≥2 cm) in 7 (4%) patients, as early as 5 days post catheterization. In a multivariable analysis, catheter fixation (OR: 0.26 [95% CI: 0.10-0.70]; P = .008) was associated with reduced risk of meatal pressure injury, while catheter presence over 14 days (OR: 1.46 [95% CI: 1.01-1.08]; P = .005) and other skin ulcers (OR: 2.45 [95% CI: 1.05-5.71]; P = .038) were associated with a higher risk of meatal pressure injury. Meatal pressure injury is a common complication of indwelling catheters in hospitalized males, beginning days after catheterization. Meatal pressure injury was associated with prolonged catheter presence, other pressure injuries, and lack of catheter fixation. Prospective studies are needed to establish evidence-based guidelines.

Toward mitigating pressure injuries: Detecting patient orientation from vertical bed reaction forces.

IntroductionProlonged bed rest without repositioning can lead to pressure injuries. However, it can be challenging for caregivers and patients to adhere to repositioning schedules. A device that alerts caregivers when a patient has remained in the same orientation for too long may reduce the incidence and/or severity of pressure injuries. This paper proposes a method to detect a person’s orientation in bed using data from load cells placed under the legs of a hospital grade bed.MethodsTwenty able-bodied individuals were positioned into one of three orientations (supine, left side-lying, or right side-lying) either with no support, a pillow, or a wedge, and the head of the bed either raised or lowered. Breathing pattern characteristics extracted from force data were used to train two machine learning classification systems (Logistic Regression and Feed Forward Neural Network) and then evaluate for their ability to identify each participant’s orientation using a leave-one-participant-out cross-validation.ResultsThe Feed Forward Neural Network yielded the highest orientation prediction accuracy at 94.2%.ConclusionsThe high accuracy of this non-invasive system’s ability to a participant’s position in bed shows potential for this algorithm to be useful in developing a pressure injury prevention tool.

Root Cause Analysis for Hospital-Acquired Pressure Injury.

Root cause analysis (RCA) is a systematic process for identifying the causes of an adverse occurrence or combined with an approach for a response designed to prevent recurrences. This method may be used for continuous quality improvement in a facility or health system. Root cause analysis can aid nurses and hospital risk managers to determine how the system can improve to reduce the number and severity of pressure injuries. The process of RCA begins with being certain the wound is a pressure injury using differential diagnoses of similar appearing skin disease and injury, followed by an examination of the processes of care (human roots) for missed actions or inactions that are linked to development of a particular pressure injury. The final step of RCA is a critical examination of the system (including people and processes) to look for modifiable trends or patterns are identified that are used to prevent recurrences.

The role of psychological distress in the relationship between the severity of pressure injury and pain intensity in hospitalized adults.

To examine the effect of psychological distress in mediating the relationship between the severity of pressure injury and pain intensity in hospitalized adults. Despite the prevalence of pressure injury (previously known as pressure ulcers) in hospitalized adults, the current knowledge of pain associated with pressure injury is limited and findings are inconsistent. There is also a lack of understanding of the relationship between psychological distress and pain from pressure injury. Retrospective cross-sectional secondary analysis of data from electronic health records. The data were retrieved from the third day of admission in the period between 2013 - 2016 through the Integrated Data Repository (IDR). Electronic health records were reviewed to collect data as needed. The mediation effect was tested by using path analysis implemented through Mplus. Path analysis revealed that the severity of pressure injuries and psychological distress have significant direct effects on pain intensity in hospitalized adults. However, the relationship between the severity of pressure injury and pain intensity was not significantly mediated by psychological distress. Hospitalized adults who have more severe pressure injury and more treatments for psychological distress experienced greater pain intensity. Healthcare providers must pay attention to treating psychological distress among hospitalized adults to manage pain. Further study is needed to validate these findings and it should incorporate more appropriate measures of psychological distress. The lack of standardized nursing documentation in electronic health records severely limits the usefulness of data from electronic health records for nursing research.

The effect of adjunctive noncontact low frequency ultrasound on deep tissue pressure injury.

The optimal treatment for deep tissue pressure injuries has not been determined. Deep tissue pressure injuries represent a more ominous early stage pressure injury that may evolve into full thickness ulceration despite implementing the standard of care for pressure injury. A longitudinal prospective historical case control study design was used to determine the effectiveness of noncontact low frequency ultrasound plus standard of care (treatment group) in comparison to standard of care (control group) in reducing deep tissue pressure injury severity, total surface area, and final pressure injury stage. The Honaker Suspected Deep Tissue Injury Severity Scale (range 3-18[more severe]) was used to determine deep tissue pressure injury severity at enrollment (Time 1) and discharge (Time 2). A total of 60 subjects (Treatment = 30; Control= 30) were enrolled in the study. In comparison to the control group mean deep tissue pressure injury total surface area change at Time 2 (0.3 cm2 ), the treatment group had a greater decrease (8.8 cm2 ) that was significant (t = 2.41, p = 0.014, r2 = 0.10). In regards to the Honaker Suspected Deep Tissue Injury Severity Scale scores, the treatment group had a significantly lower score (7.6) in comparison to the control group (11.9) at time 2, with a mean difference of 4.6 (t = 6.146, p = 0.0001, r2 = 0.39). When considering the final pressure ulcer stage at Time 2, the control group were mostly composed of unstageable pressure ulcer (57%) and deep tissue pressure injury severity (27%). In contrast, the treatment group final pressure ulcer stages were less severe and were mostly composed of stage 2 pressure injury (50%) and deep tissue pressure injury severity (23%) were the most common at time 2. The results of this study have shown that deep tissue pressure injury severity treated with noncontact low frequency ultrasound within 5 days of onset and in conjunction with standard of care may improve outcomes as compared to standard of care only.

Inter-rater reliability of the Reaper Oral Mucosa Pressure Injury Scale (ROMPIS): A novel scale for the assessment of the severity of pressure injuries to the mouth and oral mucosa

BackgroundPatients who are intubated in the ICU are at risk of developing pressure injuries to the mouth and lips from endotracheal tubes. Clear documentation is important for pressure wound care; however, no validated instruments currently exist for the staging of pressure injuries to the oral mucosa. Instruments designed for the assessment of pressure injuries to other bodily regions are anatomically unsuited to the lips and mouth. ObjectivesThis study aimed to develop and then assess the reliability of a novel scale for the assessment of pressure injuries to the mouth and oral mucosa. MethodsThe Reaper Oral Mucosa Pressure Injury Scale (ROMPIS) was developed in consultation with ICU nurses, clinical nurse educators, Intensivists, and experts in pressure wound management. ICU nurses and portfolio-holders in pressure wound care from Peninsula Health (Victoria, Australia) were invited to use the ROMPIS to stage 19 de-identified clinical photographs of oral pressure injuries via secure online survey. Inter-rater reliability (IRR) was calculated using Krippendorff's alpha (α). ResultsAmong ICU nurses (n=52), IRR of the ROMPIS was α=0.307; improving to α=0.463 when considering only responses where injuries were deemed to be stageable using the ROMPIS (i.e. excluding responses where respondents considered an injury to be unstageable).Among a cohort of experts in pressure wound care (n=8), IRR was α=0.306; or α=0.443 excluding responses indicating that wounds were unstageable. ConclusionsAn instrument for the assessment and monitoring of pressure injuries to the mouth and lips has practical implications for patient care. This preliminary study indicates that the ROMPIS instrument has potential to be used clinically for this purpose; however, the performance of this scale may be somewhat reliant on the confidence or experience of the ICU nurse utilising it. Further validation is required.

Pressure injury prevention success in a regional hospital

Background: This paper describes quality improvement strategies implemented following the identification of a significantly high prevalence rate and severity of pressure injuries in a regional health care facility in a large health district in Queensland, Australia. Aim: The aim of this paper is to inform health professionals of processes employed to reduce the incidence and financial burden of pressure injuries following the detection of rates that were significantly above the State average. Method: An audit of pressure injury prevalence data was conducted on a single day throughout a regional hospital. Prevalence data was compared to State averages and hospital strategies used to prevent injuries were examined. Findings: Audit reports for this acute setting revealed that despite best practice guidelines, prevalence was a major concern. Lack of accountability, poor documentation, limited education and knowledge of risk assessment and prevention were central to the need to implement quality improvement processes. Conclusion: This paper outlines the results associated with implementing quality measures to reduce the prevalence of pressure injuries. Following an audit of pressure injury prevalence data, strategies were implemented to reduce noteworthy rates. Employing specific techniques can result in significantly decreasing hospital acquired pressure injuries in health care settings throughout the world.

Pressure injury prevention success in a regional hospital.

This paper describes quality improvement strategies implemented following the identification of a significantly high prevalence rate and severity of pressure injuries in a regional health care facility in a large health district in Queensland, Australia. The aim of this paper is to inform health professionals of processes employed to reduce the incidence and financial burden of pressure injuries following the detection of rates that were significantly above the State average. An audit of pressure injury prevalence data was conducted on a single day throughout a regional hospital. Prevalence data was compared to State averages and hospital strategies used to prevent injuries were examined. Audit reports for this acute setting revealed that despite best practice guidelines, prevalence was a major concern. Lack of accountability, poor documentation, limited education and knowledge of risk assessment and prevention were central to the need to implement quality improvement processes. This paper outlines the results associated with implementing quality measures to reduce the prevalence of pressure injuries. Following an audit of pressure injury prevalence data, strategies were implemented to reduce noteworthy rates. Employing specific techniques can result in significantly decreasing hospital acquired pressure injuries in health care settings throughout the world.