Stratum Corneum Hydration Value Research Articles

Spatial and temporal changes in biophysical skin parameters over a category I pressure ulcer.

In acute care facilities, the detection of pressure ulcers (PUs) relies on visual and manual examination of the patient's skin, which has been reported to be inconsistent and may lead to misdiagnosis. In skin and wound research, various biophysical parameters have been extensively employed to monitor changes in skin health. Nonetheless, the transition of these measures into care settings as part of a routine clinical assessment has been limited. This study was designed to examine the spatial and temporal changes in skin biophysical parameters over the site of a category I PU, in a cohort of hospitalised patients. Thirty patients, each presenting with a category I PU, were enrolled in the study. Skin integrity was assessed at the PU-compromised site and two adjacent areas (5 and 10 cm away). Data was collected over three sessions to examine both temporal differences and longitudinal changes. Skin integrity was assessed using two biophysical parameters, namely, transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and stratum corneum (SC) hydration. In addition, the influence of intrinsic factors, namely, incontinence and mobility status, on the parameters was evaluated. TEWL values at the sites compromised by PU were statistically significantly greater (P < .001) than corresponding values at the adjacent control sites at 5 and 10 cm, which were consistent with a normative range (<20 g/h/m2 ). By contrast, SC hydration values did not reveal clear distinctions between the three sites, with high inter-patient variation detected at the sites. Nevertheless, individual profiles were consistent across the three sessions, and the PU site was observed to be either abnormally dry or overhydrated in different individuals. No consistent temporal trend in either parameter was evident. However, intrinsic factors were shown to influence the parameters, with females, bedridden and incontinent patients presenting significantly higher TEWL and SC hydration values (P < .05). TEWL was able to identify differences in skin responses at skin sites compromised with a category I PU when compared to healthy adjacent skin sites. Accordingly, this parameter could be included in the clinical assessment for the identification of PU risk. Further studies are required to elucidate the role of hydration and skin barrier function in the development of PUs and their ability to monitor temporal changes in skin integrity.

Evaluation of skin barrier-related parameters in 116 healthy children

Objective To assess and compare physical and chemical properties of skin among different body areas of healthy children at different ages from Beijing.Methods A total of 116 healthy children were recruited from Beijing,China,and classified into four age groups.Tewameter TM300 was used to measure transepidermal water loss (TEWL) value,Corneometer CM825 to estimate stratum corneum hydration,and skinpH-Meter PH905 to determine skin surface pH,in the forehead,cheek and forearm.The Mexameter MX 18 probe to determine melanin index of the face.Analysis of variance was carried out to assess differences in these parameters among different measurement sites and age groups.Results TEWL value did not differ among different age groups or measurement sites (both P ＞ 0.05).The stratum corneum hydration value of forehead,cheek and forearm was 51.53 ± 15.70,39.88 ± 10.48 and 50.33 ± 17.54 respectively in the age group ＜ 1 year,49.95 ± 17.88,32.51 ± 12.09 and 36.10 ± 7.43 respectively in the age group 1-3 years,51.37 ± 10.60,31.65 ± 9.01 and 34.41 ± 8.21 respectively in the age group 4-6 years,49.74 ± 10.64,39.99 ± 50.43 and 29.35 ± 8.10respectively in the age group 7-12 years,with significant differences among different measurement sites (P ＜ 0.05) but not between different age groups (P ＞ 0.05).The cheek and forearm showed lower stratum corneum hydration value than the forehead.No statistical difference was observed in pH value at the same measurement sites between the age group ＜ 1 year (forehead 5.27 ± 0.60,cheek 6.12 ± 0.51 and forearm 5.48 ± 0.45),1-3years (forehead 4.68 ± 0.58,cheek 6.80 ± 0.55 and forearm 5.07 ± 0.58),4-6 years (forehead 4.58 ± 0.37,cheek 5.70 ± 0.48 and forearm 5.09 ± 0.49),and 7-12 years (forehead 4.87 ± 0.51,cheek 5.72 ± 0.49 and forearm 5.09 ± 0.51),but the cheek had significantly higher pH value than the forearm and forehead (both P ＜ 0.05).Melanin value on the face did not differ between different age groups (P ＞ 0.05).Conclusion Physical and chemical properties of skin vary with body sites in healthy children. Key words: Child; Beijing; Skin; Barrier