Pressure Injury Data Reconciliation in a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Area of Science:

• Clinical research
• Wound care
• Spinal cord injury (SCI) research

Background:

• Pressure injuries (PrIs) are a significant concern for individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI).
• Effective prevention and wound care strategies require accurate data collection.
• Previous research has focused on intervention effectiveness, with less emphasis on data ascertainment methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To advance pressure injury (PrI) research in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI).
• To describe lessons learned and recommendations for future research in PrI prevention and wound care.
• To detail procedures for collecting and reconciling PrI data and identify discrepancies.

Main Methods:

• Secondary analysis of data from a randomized controlled trial (2009-2014).
• Inclusion of 232 participants with SCI and a history of medically serious PrIs (MSPrIs).
• Comparison of data from phone interviews, skin checks, and medical records (MRs) for PrI detection.

Main Results:

• The majority (62%) of MSPrIs occurred in the pelvic region.
• Medical records (MRs) were the most sensitive data source, detecting 82% of MSPrIs.
• Scheduled skin checks were the second-most sensitive, identifying 37% of MSPrIs.

Conclusions:

• Medical record review is the preferred method for ascertaining MSPrIs in clinical trials.
• Accurate reconciliation of reports from multiple data sources is essential for reliable research findings.
• Improved data collection methods can enhance PrI prevention and wound care for SCI populations.