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The influence of incontinence on the characteristic properties of the skin in bedridden elderly subjects
Author(s) -
Fujimura Tsutomu,
Makino Mayumi,
Takagi Miyuki,
Maki Kumiko,
Murakami Emiko,
Tasaka Yoshiko,
Sato Noriko,
Akiba Shunichi,
Hotta Mitsuyuki,
Kitahara Takashi,
Ando Kikue
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
international journal of dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.677
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1365-4632
pISSN - 0011-9059
DOI - 10.1111/ijd.13170
Subject(s) - medicine , transepidermal water loss , forearm , urination , buttocks , urinary incontinence , dermatology , elderly people , ageing , significant difference , surgery , urinary system , pathology , stratum corneum , gerontology
Background The mechanisms of skin breakdown induced by incontinence have been proposed from a variety of experimental studies. However, studies on the influence of skin properties caused by incontinence of bedridden subjects are very limited. Objective This work was conducted to reveal how incontinence influences skin properties by comparing bedridden incontinent elderly subjects with age‐matched healthy continent elderly and middle‐aged subjects. Methods Bedridden incontinent elderly subjects ( n = 35, 83.5 ± 9.7 years, mean age ± SD ), healthy continent elderly ( n = 41, 75.9 ± 5.6 years), and middle‐aged ( n = 20, 41.3 ± 2.8 years) were recruited for this study. Skin surface pH , capacitance/hydration, transepidermal water loss, and bacteria on forearm and buttock skin were measured. Results Hydration and transepidermal water loss values between healthy elderly subjects and incontinent elderly subjects were significantly different on buttock skin. Significant differences between those two groups were also observed regarding pH and total bacteria levels on buttock skin. The forearm skin showed no significant difference in these parameters. No significant influence was observed between with and without urination at the measurement time except for the pH of buttock skin. No significant correlation was observed except between pH and bacteria levels on buttock skin of incontinent elderly subjects. Conclusion In this study, we clarified the characteristic features of skin induced by incontinence. Our results indicate that these parameters are adequate not only to evaluate the characteristic skin features of bedridden incontinent subjects but also to develop new diapers to avoid the diaper dermatitis caused by incontinence.