A prospective, multicenter study to validate use of the PUSH in patients with diabetic, venous, and pressure ulcers

Monitoring wound progress is essential for evaluating and documenting treatment outcomes. The Pressure Ulcer Scale for Healing (PUSH) was developed to track pressure ulcer (PU) progress but information about its utility for other types of chronic wounds is limited. A 10-month, descriptive, multicenter study was conducted to examine the responsiveness and concurrent validity of the PUSH when used to monitor wound changes in diabetic foot (DFU), venous leg (VLU), and PU. Using a convenience sample of participants (n = 98, mean age 60 [range 20 to 89] years, the majority [85%] male), PUSH score and acetate wound surface area tracings were obtained at baseline and approximately 4 weeks later from 47 Stage II to Stage IV PU, 23 VLU, and 28 patients with a DFU. After an average of 32 days, wound surface area, total PUSH scores, and individual PUSH component scores decreased significantly between baseline and follow-up (P = 0.000). The mean PUSH score change was significantly different between healing and nonhealing wounds (P = 0.000). A strong relationship (r = .66) was found between total PUSH score and surface area. Results suggest the PUSH tool is a valid, responsive, evaluative tool to monitor and document wound progress of PU, VLU, and DFU. Additional studies to assess use of this tool for DFU and to ascertain the predictive validity of the PUSH tool are warranted.