OBJECTIVE: To estimate the effectiveness of a new high-performance Australian medical sheepskin (meeting Australian Standard 4480.1-1998) in preventing pressure ulcers in a general hospital population at low to moderate risk of these ulcers. DESIGN: Open-label randomised controlled clinical trial. SETTING:A large metropolitan teaching hospital in Melbourne, Victoria, in 2000. PARTICIPANTS: 441 patients aged over 18 years admitted between 12 June and 30 November 2000, with expected length of stay over 2 days and assessed as at low to moderate risk of developing pressure ulcers. INTERVENTION: Patients were randomly allocated to receive a sheepskin mattress overlay for the duration of their hospital stay (218 patients) or usual treatment, as determined by ward staff (referent group, 223 patients). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Incidence rate and cumulative incidence of pressure ulcers, assessed daily throughout hospital stay. RESULTS:58 patients developed pressure ulcers (sheepskin group, 21; referent group, 37). Cumulative incidence risk was 9.6% in the sheepskin group (95% CI, 6.1%-14.3%) versus 16.6% in the referent group (95% CI, 12.0%-22.1%). Patients in the sheepskin group developed new pressure ulcers at a rate less than half that of referent patients (rate ratio, 0.42; 95% CI, 0.26-0.67). CONCLUSIONS: The Australian Medical Sheepskin is effective in reducing the incidence of pressure ulcers in general hospital inpatients at low to moderate risk of these ulcers.
RCT Entities:
OBJECTIVE: To estimate the effectiveness of a new high-performance Australian medical sheepskin (meeting Australian Standard 4480.1-1998) in preventing pressure ulcers in a general hospital population at low to moderate risk of these ulcers. DESIGN: Open-label randomised controlled clinical trial. SETTING: A large metropolitan teaching hospital in Melbourne, Victoria, in 2000. PARTICIPANTS: 441 patients aged over 18 years admitted between 12 June and 30 November 2000, with expected length of stay over 2 days and assessed as at low to moderate risk of developing pressure ulcers. INTERVENTION: Patients were randomly allocated to receive a sheepskin mattress overlay for the duration of their hospital stay (218 patients) or usual treatment, as determined by ward staff (referent group, 223 patients). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Incidence rate and cumulative incidence of pressure ulcers, assessed daily throughout hospital stay. RESULTS: 58 patients developed pressure ulcers (sheepskin group, 21; referent group, 37). Cumulative incidence risk was 9.6% in the sheepskin group (95% CI, 6.1%-14.3%) versus 16.6% in the referent group (95% CI, 12.0%-22.1%). Patients in the sheepskin group developed new pressure ulcers at a rate less than half that of referent patients (rate ratio, 0.42; 95% CI, 0.26-0.67). CONCLUSIONS: The Australian Medical Sheepskin is effective in reducing the incidence of pressure ulcers in general hospital inpatients at low to moderate risk of these ulcers.
Authors: Elizabeth McInnes; Asmara Jammali-Blasi; Sally E M Bell-Syer; Jo C Dumville; Victoria Middleton; Nicky Cullum Journal: Cochrane Database Syst Rev Date: 2015-09-03
Authors: Patriek Mistiaen; Wilco Achterberg; Andre Ament; Ruud Halfens; Janneke Huizinga; Ken Montgomery; Henri Post; Anneke L Francke Journal: BMC Health Serv Res Date: 2008-01-07 Impact factor: 2.655
Authors: Patriek Mistiaen; Andre Ament; Anneke L Francke; Wilco Achterberg; Ruud Halfens; Janneke Huizinga; Henri Post Journal: BMC Health Serv Res Date: 2010-08-05 Impact factor: 2.655