Abstract
Variations in sacral sub-epidermal moisture in adult intensive care patients during the first three days of admission
Australian critical care, Vol.37(Supplement 1), pp.S22-S23
Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Society/Australian College of Critical Care Nursing Intensive Care Annual Scientific meeting (Brisbane, Australia, 10/04/2024–12/04/2024)
2024
Appears in Recent Faculty of Health Publications
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Abstract
Introduction: Intensive care unit (ICU) patients are susceptible to pressure injuries (PI) within the first 4-6 days of their admission. Hand-held sub-epidermal moisture (SEM) scanners provide quantitative data on non-visible sacral sub-epidermal inflammation, a PI precursor. The device displays a SEM delta (Δ) with a reading ≥0.6 indicating possible tissue damage up to 5 days before skin injury is visible. However, variations in sacral SEM measurements in ICU patients during their admission are lacking.
Objectives: To describe sacral SEM variations in adult ICU patients during the first 3 days of their admission and to determine if any demographic (gender, age) or clinical characteristics (medical/surgical, APACHE II score, BMI) are associated with these variances.
Methods: This single site longitudinal sub-study was conducted as part of a larger research project. After ethics approval, consenting participant baseline and daily sacral SEM measurements were collected for a maximum of 14 days or until ICU discharge, death, or PI development. The first 3 days of sacral SEM delta data were analysed.
Results: From May-September 2021, 40 ICU adult patients were recruited. Most were males (67.5%) with an average age of 59.6 (SD 16.6) years. In total, 130 sacral SEM delta measurements were obtained. At baseline, 45% of participants had a sacral SEM delta ≥0.6, which increased to 60% within the first 2 days of their ICU admission. At baseline, the mean sacral SEM measurements of female ICU patients were higher (p = 0.003) compared to males. No other differences were found.
Conclusion(s): Many adult ICU patients had elevated sacral SEM delta measurements during the first 2 days of their admission, suggesting an increased risk of PI development. This sacral SEM scanner offers an opportunity for clinicians to implement an individualised regime of PI prevention strategies early in their admission.
Details
- Title
- Variations in sacral sub-epidermal moisture in adult intensive care patients during the first three days of admission
- Creators
- Sharon Latimer - Griffith University (Australia, Gold Coast)Wendy Chaboyer - Griffith University (Australia, Gold Coast)Fiona Coyer - The University of QueenslandJodie Deakin - Griffith University (Australia, Gold Coast)Lukman Thalib - Griffith University (Australia, Gold Coast)Brigid Gillespie - Griffith University (Australia, Gold Coast)
- Publication Details
- Australian critical care, Vol.37(Supplement 1), pp.S22-S23
- Conference
- Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Society/Australian College of Critical Care Nursing Intensive Care Annual Scientific meeting (Brisbane, Australia, 10/04/2024–12/04/2024)
- Publisher
- Elsevier Ltd
- Identifiers
- 991013323109302368
- Copyright
- © 2024.
- Academic Unit
- Nursing; Faculty of Health
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Abstract