Content area

Abstract

Objective

To examine the role of therapeutic hypothermia in pressure ulcer development in critically ill patients.

Research methodology

Retrospective study in a mixed intensive care unit over 2010–2013. The incidences of pressure ulcers among patients treated with therapeutic hypothermia (n = 148) and the non-hypothermia patient population (n = 6197) were compared.

Results

Patients treated with hypothermia developed more pressure ulcers (25.0%) than the non-hypothermia group 6.3% (p < 0.001). More patients in the hypothermia group were rated as the high pressure ulcer risk group, as defined by the modified Jackson/Cubbin (mJ/C) risk score ≤29 than the rest of the patients. Among the therapeutic hypothermia patients more pressure ulcers tended to emerge in the lower risk group (mJ/C score ≥30) (p = 0.056). Intensive care mortality was higher in the hypothermia (24.3%) than the non-hypothermia group (9.3%, p < 0.0001).

Conclusion

Patients treated with therapeutic hypothermia should be considered at high risk for pressure ulcer development and should be managed accordingly. The hypothermia may not as such increase the risk for pressure ulcers, but combined with the severity of the underlying illness, may be more likely. The pressure ulcer risk in this patient group cannot be reliably assessed by the Jackson/Cubbin risk scale.

Details

Title
Therapeutic hypothermia and pressure ulcer risk in critically ill intensive care patients: A retrospective study
Author
Ahtiala, Maarit; Laitio, Ruut; Soppi, Esa
Pages
80-85
Section
Research article
Publication year
2018
Publication date
Jun 2018
Publisher
Elsevier Limited
ISSN
09643397
e-ISSN
15324036
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
2054777774
Copyright
Copyright Elsevier Limited Jun 2018