Incidence, characteristics and risk factors of medical device-related pressure injuries: An observational cohort study

This study aimed to investigate the cumulative incidence, characteristics, and risk factors of medical device-related pressure injuries (MDRPIs), including patient outcomes, in the intensive care unit (ICU) of a university hospital.

A prospective observational cohort study.

The study was conducted in an university hospital between November 2019 and October 2020.

The study included patients over the age of 18 years who had a device in situ and stayed in the ICU for more than 24 h. Each device was monitored twice a day for 15 days; the clinical assessment was performed daily until ICU discharge or death. The Case Report Form, MDRPI Monitoring Form, Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE-II), Braden Scale, National Pressure Injury Advisory Panel (NPIAP) staging and categories, and Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) were used for data collection. Patients with and without MDRPIs were compared for demographic and clinical characteristics, length of ICU stay, and mortality by using t-test and Chi-square test. Cumulative incidence was calculated. Logistic regression model was used to investigate risk factors.

The incidence rate of MDRPIs was 48.8% (84/172 patients). Most of the MDRPIs developed in the mucosa; hence, they could not be staged (63.7%). Of the remaining MDRPIs on the skin, 18.7%, 13%, and 4.6% were categorized as Stage I, II, and III, respectively. In terms of anatomical locations, most commonly occurred in the head and neck region (62.3%). Among the twelve medical devices that caused MDRPIs, endotracheal tubes (61 cases), urinary catheters (46 cases), nasogastric tubes (30 cases) and non-invasive masks (17 cases) were most commonly reported. In multivariate analysis, age (46-64 years) (p = 0.008, OR = 12.457), history of cardiovascular diseases (p = 0.021, OR = 0.044), administration of vasopressors (p = 0.013, OR = 0.089), length of ICU stay (≥22 days, p = 0.048, OR = 0.055) and requirement for mechanical ventilation (p = 0.028, OR = 10.252) were identified as independent risk factors of the occurrence of MDRPI.

This study provides a comprehensive understanding of the risk of MDRPI in critically ill adults. The incidence of MDRPIs was high and was associated with several factors. It is critical that MDRPIs are taken seriously by all members of the healthcare team, especially nurses, and that protocols should be established for improvements.