The Prevalence of Incontinence-Associated Dermatitis in Hospitalized Patients in China A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence and characteristics of incontinence-associated dermatitis (IAD) among hospitalized Chinese patients. DATA SOURCES: Authors searched Chinese (China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Data, VIP Data, Chinese Biomedicine) and English (PubMed, Web of Science) electronic databases for articles published from 1987 through February 2019. STUDY SELECTION: The preliminary search identified 558 studies. After removal of duplicates (n = 202), application of exclusion criteria, and screening titles and abstracts (n = 346), 10 studies met the inclusion criteria. DATA EXTRACTION: A standardized form was constructed to extract data from eligible studies, and this information was extracted by two independent authors. DATA SYNTHESIS: A pooled analysis of the 10 studies (total sample size, 40,039) showed the prevalence of IAD in hospitalized Chinese patients was 1.44% (95% confidence interval, 1.10%-1.79%). Subgroup analysis indicated no significant association between sex and IAD. Patients older than 90 years had the highest incidence of IAD (8.64%). The most common type was mild IAD (1.00%). Fecal incontinence (48.02%) led to more cases of IAD than urinary incontinence (11.35%) or both (25.78%). The most common types of IAD were perineal (0.92%) and perianal (0.90%). CONCLUSIONS: Incontinence-associated dermatitis is a global health problem that requires more attention. Understanding the prevalence and characteristics of IAD is helpful in the formulation of IAD prevention and treatment programs in China.