[Is repositioning regimen effective to prevent pressure injuries? Synopsis of systematic reviews.]

Repositioning regimen is an intervention recommended by guidelines and traditionally used in daily care practice but its benefit for preventing pressure injuries (PI) is not clinically proved.

To determine the effect of repositioning regimen to prevent PI.

A research on five electronic databases (The Cochrane Library, Medline, Embase, CINAHL, Web of Science) was conducted on March 23, 2017. Records returned by the search strategy were independently analyzed and those that respected inclusion criteria have been found in full text. In synopsis have been included systematic reviews of controlled clinical trials or quasi-experimental studies that compare repositioning regimen with usual care. The AMSTAR checklist has been used for quality evaluation.

Five systematic reviews met inclusion criteria. The methodological quality of included studies have been very heterogeneous. Compared to usual cares, intervention is not associated with a statistically significant reduction of PI.

A few and small available studies do not allow to ascertain a benefit from the intervention, if any. At the moment, the application of an individualized repositioning regimen seems a reasonable solution. Further researches are needed to confirm that a more frequent repositioning and a 30° lateral decubitus intake help to prevent PI. It is also necessary to evaluate the economic impact, the acceptability and risks associated with the intervention.

It is still unclear the role of repositioning regimen to prevent PI.