Open AccessAre there differences between COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 inpatient pressure injuries? Experiences in Internal Medicine Units
Author(s) -
Leticia Nieto-García,
Adela Carpio-Pérez,
María Teresa Moreiro-Barroso,
Emilia Ruíz-Antúnez,
Ainhoa Nieto-García,
Montserrat AlonsoSardón
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
plos one
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.99
H-Index - 332
ISSN - 1932-6203
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pone.0263900
Subject(s) - medicine , epidemiology , diabetes mellitus , covid-19 , incidence (geometry) , retrospective cohort study , pandemic , comorbidity , blood pressure , emergency medicine , cumulative incidence , pediatrics , disease , infectious disease (medical specialty) , transplantation , physics , optics , endocrinology
Background Pressure Injuries (PIs) are major worldwide public health threats within the different health-care settings. Objective To describe and compare epidemiological and clinical features of PIs in COVID-19 patients and patients admitted for other causes in Internal Medicine Units during the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic. Design A descriptive longitudinal retrospective study. Setting This study was conducted in Internal Medicine Units in Salamanca University Hospital Complex, a tertiary hospital in the Salamanca province, Spain. Participants All inpatients ≥18-year-old admitted from March 1, 2020 to June 1, 2020 for more than 24 hours in the Internal Medicine Units with one or more episodes of PIs. Results A total of 101 inpatients and 171 episodes were studied. The prevalence of PI episodes was 6% and the cumulative incidence was 2.9% during the first-wave of COVID-19. Risk of acute wounds was four times higher in the COVID-19 patient group (p<0.001). Most common locations were sacrum and heels. Among hospital acquired pressure injuries a significant association was observed between arterial hypertension and diabetes mellitus in patients with COVID-19 diagnosis. Conclusion During the first wave of COVID-19, COVID-19 patients tend to present a higher number of acute wounds, mainly of hospital origin, compared to the profile of the non-COVID group. Diabetes mellitus and arterial hypertension were identified as main associated comorbidities in patients with COVID-19 diagnosis.