Incidence of Skin Injuries, Risk and Clinical Characteristics of Critical Patients

Abstract

Objective: to analyze the incidence of skin injuries, risk and clinical characteristics of critically ill patients. Method: a retrospective cohort study performed in the intensive care center with a sample of 125 patients whose outcome was skin injury. Results: the overall injury incidence was 28% (n=35), with 36.3% (n=8) being dermatitis associated with urinary and fecal incontinence, 19.2% (n=24) pressure injury, 7.2% (n=9) skin tears, and 0.8% (n=1) medical-adhesive-related skin injury. The appearance time of the injuries varied from 1 to 44 days. The average number of injuries per patient was 1.7. Factors such as enteral nutrition (p<0.001), mechanical ventilation (p=0.001), fecal incontinence (p=0.049), diaper use with a delayed urinary catheter or urinary diversion (p=0.004) were associated with injury onset. Conclusions: incontinence-associated dermatitis and pressure injury had a higher incidence in critically ill patients. Patients who developed pressure injuries were at higher risk.