Applied Nursing Research
Volume 18, Issue 1 , Pages 29-35, February 2005

Elevated sacral skin temperature (Ts): a risk factor for pressure ulcer development in hospitalized neurologically impaired Thai patients☆

This article was presented in a poster session at the Midwest Nursing Research Society's 27th Annual Conference, April 4 to 7, 2003, Grand Rapids, MI, and at the 16th Annual Symposium on Advanced Wound Care, April 28 to May 1, 2003, Las Vegas, NV. A portion of these data was published in an abstract [Sae-Sia, W., Wipke-Tevis, D. D., & Williams, D. A. (2003). Skin temperature and pressure ulcer development in hospitalized neurologically impaired Thai patients. Ostomy/Wound Management, 49(4), 76].

  • Wipa Sae-Sia, MSN

      Affiliations

    • Sinclair School of Nursing, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
    • ,
  • Deidre D. Wipke-Tevis, PhD, RN, BC

      Affiliations

    • Sinclair School of Nursing, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Tel.: +1 573 884 8441; fax: +1 573 884 4544.
    • ,
  • Donna A. Williams, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Sinclair School of Nursing, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, MO 65211, USA

Received 22 August 2003; received in revised form 15 March 2004; accepted 22 March 2004.

Abstract 

Pressure ulcer incidence and sacral skin temperature (Ts) were measured in hospitalized neurologically impaired Thai patients (n = 17) positioned supine and then laterally. Pressure ulcer incidence within 2 weeks of admission was 47%. Regardless of reclining position, mean sacral Ts in subjects who developed a pressure ulcer was higher (p < .01) than those who did not develop an ulcer. The data suggest that Ts may increase at least 1.2 °C 24–96 hr before sacral pressure ulcer development. Sacral Ts may be an objective predictor of sacral pressure ulcer development in hospitalized neurologically impaired Thai patients.

To access this article, please choose from the options below

Login to an existing account or Register a new account.

  • Purchase this article for 12.00 USD (You must login/register to purchase this article)

    Online access for 24 hours. The PDF version can be downloaded as your permanent record.

  • Subscribe to this title

    Get unlimited online access to this article and all other articles in this title 24/7 for one year.

  • Claim access now

    For current subscribers with Society Membership or Account Number.

  • Visit SciVerse ScienceDirect to see if you have access via your institution.
 

☆ Supported by the Thai government to W.S.S. This project also was supported partially by the following research grants: AHA 0160286Z and NINR 1 R01 NR05280 to D.W.T. and R01 HL63125 NIH to D.A.W.

PII: S0897-1897(04)00088-6

doi:10.1016/j.apnr.2004.03.005

Applied Nursing Research
Volume 18, Issue 1 , Pages 29-35, February 2005

Article Tools

* Image Usage & Resolution