Analysis of the Factors Related to the Incidence and Aggravation of Pressure Ulcers for in Patients from a Nutritional and Clinical Perspective

Abstract

Purpose:The incidence of pressure ulcers has reached significant proportions in ward patients. Considering the increasing proportion of older patients, it is important to know the factors associated with pressure ulcers. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between nutritional status patients and the prognosis of pressure ulcers. Materials and Methods: Four hundred patients who had their nutritional status evaluated from December 2015 to May 2016 at Daejeon St. Mary's Hospital were enrolled in this study. The Modified NRS 2002 was used to address the nutritional status. Pressure ulcers were evaluated using the PUSH score, and the nutritional factors were evaluated with pressure ulcer aggravation. Results: Among the 400 patients who had their nutritional status evaluated, 174 (43.5%) had a pressure ulcer. A high risk of malnutrition was associated significantly with the incidence of pressure ulcers. In patients with pressure ulcers, the necessity of a nutritional support team approach (odds ratio [OR], 2.43; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.21∼4.91; P=0.01) and the number of pressure ulcers (odds ratio [OR], 3.79; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.81∼7.91; P＜0.001) were risk factors for pressure ulcer aggravation. Conclusion:These results indicate that a proper evaluation of the malnutrition state and obtaining a nutritional support team intervention are important for preventing the aggravation of pressure ulcers. Furthermore, if a patient has multiple sites of pressure ulcers, a careful assessment will be needed to prevent their deterioration.