Nutritional status and functional capacity predispose hospitalized patients to pressure ulcers

Objective This study investigated if pressure ulcer correlated with the nutritional status and functional capacity of hospitalized patients. Methods This cross-sectional study included 130 patients of two hospitals, 77 (59.2%) men and 53 (40.8%) women. The median age of the sample was 52 (14-85) years. Seventy-two (55.4%) patients were hospitalized for clinical treatment, 40 (30.8%) for surgical treatment and 18 (13.8%) for intensive care. Nutritional status was determined by subjective global assessment. The patients were then classified according to their functional capacity as bedridden or not. The number and severity of pressure ulcers was recorded. Grades 3 and 4 pressure ulcer were considered severe and grades 1 and 2 were considered mild. Results The incidence of pressure ulcers in the studied population was 19.2% (n=25). Pressure ulcer were not associated with gender, age and type of treatment. Bedridden patients were 7.5 times more likely to have pressure ulcer (19/50; 38.0%) than those who could walk (6/80; 7.5%; OR=7.5; CI95%: 2.7-20.7; p<0.001). The incidence of pressure ulcers in severely malnourished patients (20/49; 40.8%) was 10 times greater than that of better nourished patients (5/81; 6.1%; OR=10.4 CI95%: 3.6-30.5; p<0.0001). According to multivariate analysis, both functional capacity (bedridden, OR=9.2; CI95%: 2.8-30.1; p<0.001) and nutritional status (severe malnutrition, OR=3.8; CI95%: 1.0-13.9; p=0.04) are associated with pressure ulcer Conclusion Pressure ulcers correlate directly with malnutrition and bedridden status in hospitalized patients.