Selected Biochemical Blood Parameters and a Risk of Pressure Ulcers in Patients Receiving Treatment in Intensive Care Units

Data-driven approach to predicting the risk of pressure injury: A retrospective analysis based on changes in patient conditions

AIMS

To determine the risk of pressure injury development in the intensive care unit based on changes in patient conditions.

DESIGN

This retrospective study was based on secondary data analysis.

METHODS

Patient data from electronic health records were retrospectively obtained and we included 438 and 1752 patients with and without pressure injury, respectively, among those admitted to the medical and surgical intensive care units (ICUs) from January 2017-February 2020. Changes in patient conditions were analysed based on the first and last objective data values from the day of ICU admission to the day before the onset of pressure injury and categorised as follows: improved, maintained normal, exacerbated and unchanged. Logistic regression was performed to identify the significant predictors of pressure injury development based on 11 variables.

RESULTS

The 11 selected variables were age, body mass index, activity, acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II score, nursing severity level, pulse and albumin, haematocrit, C-reactive protein, total bilirubin and blood urea nitrogen levels. The risk for a pressure injury was high with exacerbation of or persistently abnormal levels of nursing severity, albumin, haematocrit, C-reactive protein, blood urea nitrogen and pulse >100 beat/min.

CONCLUSION

Periodic monitoring of haematological variables is important for preventing pressure injury in the intensive care unit.

REPORTING METHOD

The study followed STROBE guidelines.

PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

This study contributes to the utilisation of patient data from electronic health records.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

In addition to other pressure injury risk assessment tools, ICU nurses can help prevent pressure injuries by assessing patients' blood test results, thereby promoting patient safety and enhancing the efficacy of nursing practice.

Risk factors and the nomogram model for intraoperatively acquired pressure injuries in children with brain tumours: A retrospective study

This study aimed to investigate the clinical features and incidence of Intraoperatively Acquired Pressure Injuries (IAPIs) of brain tumours in children, to screen the risk factors and to establish a nomogram model for making prevention strategies against the development of IAPIs. Clinical data of 628 children undergoing brain tumour surgery from August 2019 to August 2021 were extracted from the adverse events and the electronic medical systems. They were randomly divided into a training cohort(n = 471) and a validation cohort(n = 157). The univariate and multivariate analysis was performed to identify the risk factors in training cohort; R software was used to construct a nomogram model; the area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUC) and calibration plots were used to judge the predictive performance of the nomogram model; decision curve analysis (DCA) was used to assess the clinical usefulness of the nomogram model. Age, haemorrhage, use of vasopressor, temperature, operation time and operation position were considered as significant risk factors, and enrolled to construct a nomogram model. The results of AUC showed satisfactory discrimination of the nomogram; the calibration plots indicated favourable consistency between the prediction of the nomogram and actual observations in both the training and validation cohorts; DCA showed better net benefit and threshold probability of the nomogram model. The nomogram model illustrates significant predictive ability, which can provide scientific and individual guidance for preventing development of IAPIs.

Biomarkers and clinical features associated with pressure injury among geriatric patients

<b>Purpose:</b> The study aims to identify biomarkers and clinical features associated with pressure injury (PI) among geriatric patients.<br /> <b>Methods:</b> A cross-sectional study including 191 patients aged ≥60 years. Patients were classified into those with and without PI. Assessing the risk of PI was performed on admission by applying the Braden scale (BS) for predicting pressure sore risk. Clinical history, baseline hematology, and biochemistry results were obtained. C-reactive protein to albumin ratio (CAR) and Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) were calculated. Statistical analyses were performed.<br /> <b>Results: </b>43 (22.5%) patients had PI. PI was significantly associated with higher CCI, total leukocyte count, and CAR, besides lower BS scores, serum albumin, and total proteins. Significant comorbidities were diabetes mellitus, stroke/transient ischemic attack, dementia, incontinence, and chronic kidney disease. The optimal cut-offs for PI occurrence were ≤14, ≤3.1 g/dl and &gt;1.27 for BS, albumin, and CAR, respectively.