Incidence of hospital-acquired pressure injury: A cohort study of adults admitted to public and private hospitals in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

This study aimed to estimate the incidence of hospital-acquired pressure injury (PI) and its risk factors in inpatient and intensive care units of five hospitals (two public and three private) in the city of Sao Paulo, Brazil. A 6-month follow-up prospective cohort study (n = 1937) was conducted from April to September 2013. Baseline and follow-up measurements included demographic and care information, as well as risk assessments for both undernutrition (NRS-2002) and PI (Braden scale). Poisson regression with robust variance was used for data analysis. A total of 633 patients (32.60%) showed risk for PI. The incidence rate of PI was of 5.9% (9.9% in public hospitals vs 4.1% in private hospitals) and was higher in intensive care units, compared to inpatient care units (10% vs 5.7%, respectively). Risk for PI increased with age (RR = 1.05; 95% CI 1.04-1.07); was higher in in public hospitals, compared to private hospitals (RR = 4.39; 95% CI 2.92-6.61); in patients admitted for non-surgical reasons compared to those admitted for surgical reasons (RR = 1.91; 95% CI 1.12-3.27); in patients with longer hospital stays (RR = 1.04; 95% CI 1.03-1.06); high blood pressure (RR = 1.76; 95% CI 1.17-2.64); or had a risk for undernutrition (RR = 3.51; 95% CI 1.71-7.24). Higher scores in the Braden scale was associated with a decreased risk of PI (RR = 0.79; 95% CI 0.75-0.83). The results of our study indicate that 5.9% of all patients developed PI and that the most important factors that nurses should consider are: patient age, care setting, length of hospitalization, comorbidities, reason for admission and nutrition when planning and implementing PI-preventative actions.

Development and psychometric property testing of a skin tear knowledge assessment instrument (OASES) in 37 countries.

AIM: To develop and psychometrically evaluate a skin tear knowledge assessment instrument (OASES). DESIGN: Prospective psychometric instrument validation study. METHOD: The skin tear knowledge assessment instrument was developed based on a literature review and expert input (N = 19). Face and content validity were assessed in a two-round Delphi procedure by 10 international experts affiliated with the International Skin Tear Advisory Panel (ISTAP). The instrument was psychometrically tested in a convenience sample of 387 nurses in 37 countries (April-May 2020). Validity of the multiple-choice test items (item difficulty, discriminating index, quality of the response alternatives), construct validity, and test-retest reliability (stability) were analysed and evaluated in light of international reference standards. RESULTS: A 20-item instrument, covering six knowledge domains most relevant to skin tears, was designed. Content validity was established (CVI = 0.90-1.00). Item difficulty varied between 0.24 and 0.94 and the quality of the response alternatives between 0.01-0.52. The discriminating index was acceptable (0.19-0.77). Participants with a theoretically expected higher knowledge level had a significantly higher total score than participants with theoretically expected lower knowledge (p < .001). The 1-week test-retest intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was 0.83 (95% CI = 0.78-0.86) for the full instrument and varied between 0.72 (95% CI = 0.64-0.79) and 0.85 (95% CI = 0.81-0.89) for the domains. Cohen's Kappa coefficients of the individual items ranged between 0.21 and 0.74. CONCLUSION: The skin tear knowledge assessment instrument is supported by acceptable psychometric properties and can be applied in nursing education, research, and practice to assess knowledge of healthcare professionals about skin tears. IMPACT: Prevention and treatment of skin tears are a challenge for healthcare professionals. The provision of adequate care is based on profound and up-to-date knowledge. None of the existing instruments to assess skin tear knowledge is psychometrically tested, nor up-to-date. OASES can be used worldwide to identify education, practice, and research needs and priorities related to skin tears in clinical practice.

Cultural adaptation and reliability of the ISTAP Skin Tear Classification System to Chilean Spanish.

OBJECTIVE: The International Skin Tear Advisory Panel (ISTAP) created the ISTAP Skin Tear Classification System with the aim of promoting a common and universal language to describe, classify and document skin tears, and increase awareness of the high prevalence of these wounds. Although there is a Spanish version of the ISTAP Skin Tear Classification System, the authors considered it relevant to have a specific Chilean Spanish version. The aim was to achieve the cultural adaptation of the ISTAP Skin Tear Classification System to Chilean Spanish, and verify its content validity and inter-rater reliability. METHOD: The study consisted of two phases: cultural adaptation of the ISTAP Skin Tear Classification System into Chilean Spanish, and validation of the culturally adapted system. A convenience sample of 150 health professionals classified 30 photographs of skin tears, using the same photographs used in the original ISTAP skin tear classification and validation study. Additionally, the clinical application of the classification system was tested among 20 nurses, who assessed and classified the skin tears (n=24) of hospitalised patients. For analysis of the inter-rater reliability, Fleiss' kappa was used. RESULTS: The differences found in the translation referred to a synonym of the terms 'skin' or 'cutaneous', and the terms 'flap' or 'tear'. Once analysed and discussed, the term 'desgarro' was maintained, which is the translation of the English term 'flap'. There is no equivalent term for 'skin tears' in Spanish, but consensus was reached by researchers and collaborators to use the phrase: 'desgarro de piel'. Once a consensus was reached on the wording for the translation, back-translation was completed and compared with the original English version and reviewed by the original author of the classification for accuracy. The content validity of the translated version of the ISTAP Skin Tear Classification System into Chilean Spanish showed a moderate agreement for the non-specialised nurses' group (0.4804) and for the specialised nurses' group (0.5308). Inter-rater reliability was achieved by obtaining a moderate agreement (Fleiss' kappa=0.53) and an almost perfect level of agreement for clinical application (Fleiss' kappa=0.83). CONCLUSION: The reported content validity and inter-rater reliability support the applicability of the cultural adaptation of the ISTAP Skin Tear Classification System to Chilean Spanish into practice.

Constipation in Hospitalized Patients: A Study of Prevalence and Associated Factors.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the prevalence of constipation in hospitalized patients, along with sociodemographic and clinical variables associated with its occurrence. DESIGN: Observational, cross-sectional study. SUBJECTS AND SETTINGS: The study sample comprised 343 adult patients hospitalized at a University Hospital in Sao Paulo, Brazil. METHODS: Point-prevalence data were collected on the same day each month over a 4-month period. Data were collected via interviews, physical examination, medical record review, and completion of a data collection form that queried sociodemographic data and incorporated the Bowel Function in the Community instrument. Patients were classified as constipated if they met 2 or more of the Rome III criteria. Logistic regression analyses were used to identify clinical or sociodemographic factors associated with constipation. RESULTS: Fifty-one patients had constipation, reflecting a point-prevalence of 14.8% (95% CI, 11.49-19.02). The prevalence of constipation was 15% in females (n = 29) and 14.7% in males (n = 22). Multivariable logistic regression showed that use of laxatives (OR = 9.98; 95% CI, 3.539-29.666) was associated with a higher likelihood of constipation. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of constipation in hospitalized adult patients was lower than that in previous studies. Patients using laxatives were more likely to experience constipation.

Adaptation of the City of Hope-Quality of Life-Ostomy Questionnaire From English to Brazilian Portuguese: A Validation Study.

PURPOSE: To culturally adapt the City of Hope-Quality of Life-Ostomy Questionnaire (COH-QOL-OQ) from English to Brazilian Portuguese and evaluate psychometric properties of the adapted instrument (internal consistency and construct validity). DESIGN: Methodological study to establish reliability and validity. SUBJECTS AND SETTING: The sample comprised 215 persons with stomas of any etiology who attended 1 of 3 specialized outpatient care center and 2 associations for persons with ostomies. Participants were residents of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, located in southeastern Brazil. METHODS: Techniques for cultural adaptation were carried out based on recommendations from the literature. We then evaluated the instrument's psychometric properties. Specifically, we evaluated construct (convergent and discriminant) validity and concurrent criterion validity via comparison of the adapted version of COH-QOL-OQ versus the WHOQOL-Bref (World Health Organization Quality of Life instrument). We also evaluated the internal consistency of the adapted COH-QOL-OQ, a measure of reliability. RESULTS: The internal consistency of the items was high with a Cronbach α of 0.92 for the total score and values ranging from 0.79 to 0.86 for the various domains of the COH-QOL-OQ. Confirmatory factorial analysis identified adjustment indexes to the acceptable model of adjustment for the COH-QOL-OQ model. Strong correlations between the COH-QOL-OQ and WHOQOL-Bref instrument domains confirmed the validity of the convergent construct. For the analysis of the concurrent criterion validity, the correlation coefficients between the score of item 16 and the other domains of COH-QOL-OQ ranged from 0.26 to 0.66. Analysis of the discriminate validity indicated that it was possible to isolate groups based on the temporal character of the stoma and time since ostomy surgery. CONCLUSIONS: The adapted version of COH-QOL-OQ demonstrates construct (convergent and discriminant) validity, concurrent criterion validity, and internal consistency (a measure of reliability) for evaluating health-related quality of life of persons with ostomies living in Brazil.

Polyhexanide Versus Metronidazole for Odor Management in Malignant (Fungating) Wounds: A Double-Blinded, Randomized, Clinical Trial.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to compare the effects of 0.2% polyhexamethylene biguanide (PHMB) to 0.8% metronidazole on malignant wound (MW) odor, health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and pain upon application. DESIGN: A double-blinded, randomized, clinical trial. SUBJECTS AND SETTING: Twenty-four patients with malodorous MWs hospitalized in a referral cancer center in Sao Paulo, Brazil, participated in the trial. METHODS: Participants were randomly allocated to treatment with 0.8% metronidazole solution (control group) or 0.2% PHMB (experimental group). Study outcomes were measured at baseline (day 0), 4 days, and 8 days. The primary end point was the odor that was measured in terms of its intensity, quality, and impact on participants during the study period. Health-related quality of life was measured with the Ferrans and Powers Quality of Life Index-Wounds Version (FPQLI-WV) on day 0 and on the day when odor was completely eliminated as per evaluation by the investigators. Pain intensity related to application of the control and experimental solutions was measured as a secondary outcome using a scale of 0 to 10. RESULTS: Twenty patients (83.3%) were classified as having "no wound odor" at 4 days, and 100% achieved no wound odor by day 8 (P < .001). Odor control in patients with MW significantly influenced their general HRQOL (P = .002). We found no difference in odor elimination, or HRQOL, when patients managed with PHMB were compared to those managed with metronidazole. There were no statistically significant differences over time in pain measurement between the 2 groups. CONCLUSIONS: Both PHMB and metronidazole significantly reduced odor in malodorous MWs within 4 days. Neither solution was found to be more effective than the other in the magnitude of odor reduction or its effect on condition-specific HRQOL.

Quality of life in patients with chronic wounds: magnitude of changes and predictive factors.

OBJECTIVE: To assess health-related quality of life, its predictors and magnitude of changes in health-related quality of life in patients with chronic wounds receiving specialized outpatient treatment. METHOD: Secondary, retrospective, descriptive, quantitative study with patients with chronic wounds from two specialized outpatient services in Brazil assessed through Ferrans & Powers Quality of Life Index-Wound Version, Visual Analog Pain Scale, Global Assessment Scale, Pressure Ulcer Scale for Healing, sociodemographic and clinical questionnaires at baseline and after 60 days of treatment. Data were analyzed by ANOVA, Spearman Coefficient, Mann-Whitney test and multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: Twenty-seven patients participated in the study. The overall health-related quality of life scale, health and functioning subscale and socioeconomic subscale scores increased after 60 days of treatment compared to baseline. Pain reduction was a predictor of changes in overall health-related quality of life score as well as religious practice in the family subscale. 92.6% patients perceived moderate to extensive changes in health-related quality of life. CONCLUSION: there was improvement of health-related quality of life for the sample studied in the period; pain and religious practice have emerged as predictors of changes in health-related quality of life.

Health-Related Quality of Life in Persons With Ostomies Managed in an Outpatient Care Setting.

PURPOSE: We examined health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in persons with ostomies receiving outpatient care. We also analyzed relationships among HRQOL, demographic, and pertinent clinical factors. DESIGN: We used a descriptive, exploratory, cross-sectional study design to collect and analyze data. Data in this article are a secondary analysis of data collected from a primary study, developed by Santos and Gomboski, on the adaptation and validation of the City of Hope-Quality of Life-Ostomy Questionnaire (COH-QOL-OQ) to the Portuguese language in Brazil. SUBJECTS AND SETTING: A convenience sample of 215 adults living with an ostomy was evaluated. Slightly more than half (51.6%) were men, 67.5% underwent colostomy surgery, and 59.1% underwent cancer-related ostomy surgery. Subjects received care in specialized health care units in 3 cities in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul. METHODS: After approval by the Research Ethics Committee and permission from health care units, data were collected using 2 instruments: the World Health Organization Quality of Life-Short Version (WHOQOL-Bref) (generic HRQOL instrument) and the COH-QOL-OQ (disease specific HRQOL instrument). Data were analyzed using χ test and logistic regression (via a stepwise forward method). Patients were classified into 3 groups according to the means and standard deviations of the scores: low, moderate, and high quality of life (QOL). RESULTS: Ostomy patients had total scores of 69.6 ± 20.2 and 6.1 ± 1.4 for the WHOQOL-Bref and COH-QOL-OQ instruments, respectively. Patients with shorter times since their ostomy creation had worse scores on both the specific QOL (P = .006) and generic QOL (P = .019) instruments. Patients who did not practice religion (P = .027; odds ratio [OR] = 3.39) and those without a partner/spouse (P = .007; OR = 4.90) had increased probability of having worse scores on the WHOQOL-Bref (generic instrument). CONCLUSION: Persons living with ostomies were found to have scores indicating moderate HRQOL on a disease-specific and generic instrument. Shorter time since ostomy creation, lack of religious practice, and lack of a partner negatively influenced the HRQOL of these patients.

[Controlling wound odor with metronidazole: a systematic review]. / Controle do odor de feridas com metronidazol: revisão sistemática.

OBJECTIVE: Verifying the evidence of therapeutic efficacy in the topical application of metronidazole for controlling wound odor. METHODS: A systematic literature review, according to the Cochrane Collaboration recommendations. RESULTS: 329 articles were identified in the Cochrane, LILACS, SciELO, CINAHL and PubMed databases, with 14 of them being included in the final sample. Two of the studies were double-blind randomized clinical trial studies. CONCLUSION: The actual effectiveness of metronidazole in controlling wound odor cannot yet be evidenced due to the absence of strong evidence from studies on the subject, despite clinical practice recommending its benefits.

Incidence of pressure ulcers in cardiopulmonary intensive care unit patients. / Incidência de úlceras por pressão em pacientes de Unidade de Terapia Intensiva Cardiopneumológica.

Objective Identify and analyze the incidence coefficients of pressure ulcers (PU) and the risk factors for PU development in critical patients with cardiopulmonary diseases. Method A prospective cohort study conducted in the cardiopulmonary intensive care unit (ICU) of a large hospital in the city of São Paulo, from November 2013 to February 2014. In total, 370 patients over 18 years old who did not present PU at admission and who had been in the ICU for less than 24 hours were studied. Data were analyzed by univariate and multivariate analyses (Classification And Regression Tree - CART). Results The incidence coefficients of PU were: 11.0% for total participants, 8.0% for male and 3.0% for female patients (p=0.018); 10.0% for white patients and 6.5% for patients 60 years or older. The main risk factors were length of stay in the ICU for 9.5 days or more, age 42.5 years or older, and being of the white race. Conclusion This study was related to the epidemiology of PU in critical patients with cardiopulmonary diseases, facilitating the planning of specific preventive care for these patients.

[Skin tear prevalence and associated factors: a systematic review]. / Prevalência de lesão por fricção e fatores associados: revisão sistemática.

OBJECTIVE: To identify and analyse skin tear prevalence and factors associated with its occurrence. METHOD: Systematic review of literature of studies published until June 2014 including studies published in full in English, Spanish or Portuguese. The studies were analysed according to the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology and the Guidelines for Critically Appraising Studies of Prevalence or Incidence of a Health Problem. RESULTS: The analysis of eight studies showed skin tear prevalence of 3.3% to 22% in the hospital setting and 5.5% to 19.5% in homecare. Advanced age, dependence on basic activities of daily life, frail elderly, level of mobility, agitated behavior, non-responsiveness, greater risk for concurrent development of pressure ulcers, cognitive impairment, spasticity and photoaging were cited as risk factors. CONCLUSION: Skin tear prevalence ranged from 3.3% to 22% and is mainly associated with advanced age and dependence on basic activities of daily life.

[Prevalence of self-reported constipation in adults from the general population]. / Prevalência de constipação intestinal autorreferida em adultos da população geral.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of self-reported constipation and associated factors in the general population of a Brazilian city. METHOD: Secondary analysis of an epidemiological study, population-based, cross-sectional study, about bowel habits of Brazilian population. A total of 2,162 individuals were interviewed using two instruments: sociodemographic data and the adapted and validated Brazilian version of the "Bowel Function in the Community" tool. RESULTS: There was a prevalence of 25.2% for the self-reported constipation, 37.2% among women and 10.2% among men. Stroke and old age were associated with constipation in the three statistical models used. CONCLUSION: The prevalence found showed to be similar to the findings in the literature, although some associated factors obtained here have never been investigated.

Prevalence of constipation in the general adult population: an integrative review.

Constipation affects multiple aspects of a person's health, including health-related quality of life. It is one of the most frequently reported functional gastrointestinal disorders. The purpose of this integrative review of the literature was to identify research findings pertaining to the prevalence of constipation and factors are associated with constipation in the general population. Electronic databases were searched for articles published between 2005 and 2011. All retrieved studies were evaluated with respect to quality according to the guidelines for critical appraisal of health research literature on prevalence and incidence. Eleven studies were retrieved; they reveal a prevalence of constipation that varied from 2.6% to 26.9%. The most frequently cited associated factors were female gender and advanced age, which were cited in 11 and 7 of the studies, respectively. Prevalence rates reported by the selected studies were heterogeneous. This may be partially attributed to variability in methods used to measure prevalence, including differences in criteria for constipation.

Self-reported fecal incontinence in a community-dwelling, urban population in southern Brazil.

PURPOSE: To assess the prevalence of self-reported fecal incontinence (FI) in a sample of community-dwelling adults residing in an urban area of southern Brazil. The study also aimed to determine the demographic and clinical factors associated with FI. DESIGN: This secondary data analysis used an exploratory, descriptive, and cross-sectional design to guide data collection and analysis. SUBJECTS AND SETTING: Two thousand one hundred sixty-two adults, including 1203 women (55.6%) and 979 men with a mean age of 40.6 years, were randomly selected from 390 census tracts in the city of Londrina (Paraná, Brazil) using a stratified cluster sampling design. METHODS: Subjects were interviewed; the instrument was the culturally adapted and validated Brazilian-Portuguese version of the Bowel Function in the Community. Statistical analysis was performed using the Pearson chi-square test, the Fisher exact test, and forward stepwise logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The prevalence of FI was 3.6% (n= 77; women 4%; men 3%); 70.1% (54/77) of the participants with FI reported liquid stool incontinence. Predictors of FI were aged between 40 and 60 years, anal fissure, previous colorectal or urogynecologic surgery, neurological diseases, cerebral vascular accident, and diarrhea or constipation. CONCLUSION: Our results revealed prevalence rates smaller than those reported in the Brazilian and international literature. The study broadens the knowledge on the epidemiology of FI in Brazil and the world. These results may be used to guide the implementation of public health policies for the prevention and early diagnosis of FI.

CONSTIPATION SCORING SYSTEM VALIDATED FOR THE PORTUGUESE LANGUAGE (ÍNDICE DE GRAVIDADE DA CONSTIPAÇÃO INTESTINAL): IS IT RELIABLE IN ASSESSING THE SEVERITY OF INTESTINAL CHRONIC CONSTIPATION IN OUR POPULATION?

BACKGROUND: There is a lack of valid and specific tools to measure chronic constipation severity in Brazil. AIMS: To validate the Constipation Scoring System for Brazilian spoken Portuguese. METHODS: Translation, cultural adaptation, and validation itself (reliability and convergent and divergent validation). Translation: definitive version from the original version's translation and evaluation by specialists. Cultural adaptation: score content analysis of the definitive version, as an interview to patients. Interobserver reliability: application by two researchers on the same day. Intraobserver reliability: same researcher at different times, in a 7-day interval. Divergent validation: non-constipated volunteers. Convergent validation: two groups, good response to clinical treatment and refractory to treatment. RESULTS: Cultural adaptation: 81 patients, 89% female, with mean age of 55 and seven years of schooling, and overall content validity index was 96.5%. Inter and intraobserver reliability analysis: 60 patients, 86.7% female, mean age of 56 and six years of schooling, and the respective intraclass correlation coefficients were 0.991 and 0.987, p<0.001. Divergent validation: 40 volunteers, 25 male, mean age of 49 years, and the mean global score was 2. Convergent validation of patients with good response to clinical treatment: 47 patients, 39 female, mean age of 60 and six years of schooling, and the pre- and post-treatment scores were 19 and 8, respectively (p<0.001). Convergent validation of refractory to clinical treatment patients: 75 patients, 70 female, mean age of 53 and seven years of schooling, and the global average score was 22. CONCLUSIONS: The Constipation Scoring System (Índice de Gravidade da Constipação Intestinal) validated for the Brazilian population is a reliable instrument for measuring the severity of intestinal chronic constipation.

Infection epidemiology, preventive measures and principles of best practices involving the skin and dressing of patients with a ventricular assist device: A scoping review.

BACKGROUND: Specific knowledge of several domains for managing care in the driveline externalization area may be necessary for the broader application of left ventricular assist devices. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to map the recommendations for adult patients undergoing left ventricular assist device implantation. DESIGN: This scoping review, is being registered in the Open Science Framework under DOI https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/Q76B3 (https://osf.io/q76b3/). METHOD: Left ventricular assist device coordinators and nurse specialists in dermatology and stomatherapy conducted a scoping review limited to the period between 2015 and 2022. The results of this scoping review will be discussed and presented separately in 3 articles. This third article synthesizes research evidence on the epidemiology of device infections, infection preventive measures, local skin care and dressings in adult patients with left ventricular assist devices. RESULTS: The initial search resulted in 771 studies. Sixty nine met the eligibility criteria and were included in the scoping review. Eighteen articles addressing the epidemiology of device infections, infection preventive measures, and local skin and dressing care that answered the question of this article were included. The most common bacterial pathogens reported have been Gram-positive bacteria, typically Staphylococcus species. With respect to infection preventive measures, there are evidence gaps in local skin care and transmission system dressings. CONCLUSION: The driveline still remains the most common type of device infection. There exists imperfect knowledge on the standardization of care with the dressing and the area of skin for left ventricular assist device patients. Furthermore, there is a methodological fragility of the studies. These elements imply an opportunity for future research on these subjects. IMPLICATIONS FOR CLINICAL PRACTICE: This review provides an overview of the principles of best practices involving the skin and dressing of patients with a ventricular assist device without local dermatological diseases or infectious diseases. The central figure of an experienced professional can make a difference.

Oxidized Regenerated Cellulose Versus Calcium Alginate in Controlling Bleeding From Malignant Wounds: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: There is no consensus on the best intervention for topical management of bleeding in malignant wounds. Although surgical hemostatic dressings are recommended, the use of calcium alginate (CA) is frequent among practitioners. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the hemostatic efficacy of oxidized regenerated cellulose (ORC) and CA dressing in the management of bleeding from malignant wounds resulting from breast cancer. METHODS: This was a randomized open clinical trial. The outcomes measured were total time to hemostasis and the number of hemostatic products used. RESULTS: Sixty-one patients were potentially eligible for the study, 1 did not consent, and 32 were assessed to be ineligible, resulting in a sample of 28 who were randomized to 2 study groups. Total time to hemostasis was 93.8 seconds in the ORC group, with an average of 30.1 seconds (95% confidence interval, 18.6-189 seconds), and 67 seconds in the CA group, with an average of 30.4 seconds (confidence interval, 21.7 seconds to imprecise upper limit). The main difference was 26.8 seconds. Kaplan-Meier log-rank test, and Cox model showed no statistical significance (P = 0.894). A total of 18 hemostatic products were used in the CA group and 34 in the ORC group. No adverse effects were identified. CONCLUSIONS: Although no significant differences were identified in terms of time, more hemostatic products were used in the ORC group, highlighting the effectiveness of CA. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Calcium alginate may be the first choice in the management of bleeding in malignant wounds, favoring nursing in the most immediate hemostatic actions.

[Prevalence of skin tears among hospitalized patients with cancer]. / Prevalência de lesões por fricção em pacientes hospitalizados com câncer.

This study aimed to analyze the prevalence of skin tears (ST) among hospitalized oncology patients and associated demographic and clinical variables. This is an epidemiological cross-sectional study type, performed at Octavio Frias de Oliveira State of São Paulo Cancer Institute. All adult patients hospitalized from April 10th to 18th 2010 were evaluated by interview and physical examination. Chi-square test was used to compare demographic and clinical variables between patients with and without ST. Five patients among 157 had nine skin tears, resulting in a prevalence of 3.3%. Among demographic variables, only number of children showed statistically significant difference (p=0.027) between groups. Clinically, patients with ST had lower Karnofsky scores (p=0.031), lower scores at Braden Scale (p=0.026) and less collaborative behaviors (p=0.042) when compared to patients with no lesions. This study contributes to a better knowledge of ST in oncology patients.

Prevalence of complicated surgical wounds and related factors among adults hospitalized in public hospitals.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of complicated surgical wounds and its related factors in hospitalized adults. METHOD: In this cross-sectional study, information from 251 patients hospitalized in seven public hospitals in Manaus, Brazil, and at risk of suffering surgical site complications after undergoing surgery was analyzed. Data were collected via interviews, physical examinations, and a medical record review from March to June 2015. Prevalence rate was estimated as the ratio between individuals with complications and patients at risk. To explore associated variables, individuals with and without complications were compared via 5% significant logistic regression and bivariate analyses. This study was approved by a research ethics committee. RESULTS: Overall, 15 patients (6%) showed complicated surgical wounds. General hospitalization (p < 0.003), presence of ecchymosis, (p < 0.001), and men (p = 0.047) increased patients' probability of developing complications in 13.9, 10.1, and 8.2 times, respectively. CONCLUSION: Assessing the prevalence of complicated surgical wounds and its associated factors in adults contributes to their epidemiological understanding, highlighting prevention targets and making data available for scientific comparisons.