Abstract

Risk of pressure ulcer in hospitalized patients after stroke: relation of nutritional factors and of morbidity

Author(s): Mairin Schott, Leonardo Dachi, Milena Cervo Cassol, Juliana Ebling Brondani, Elisangela Colpo*

Introduction: Hospitalized patients after stroke stay more time bedridden, what increases the risk of developing Pressure Ulcer (PU). Objective: To verify which nutritional and morbidity parameters are more associated to the risk of pressure injury development in hospitalization of patients after stroke. Methodology: Cross-sectional descriptive study, with sample composed by 52 old adults hospitalized after stroke. The patients were submitted to nutritional evaluation in until 72 hours after the date of hospitalization, which was composed by anthropometric as weight, height, BMI, circumference and skinfold; biochemistry (albumin, hemogram, urea, creatinine, C-reactive protein) and dietetic. As parameters of morbidity were evaluated number and type of stroke, presence of deglutition disorders and anemia. Braden scale was applied to evaluate the risk of PU development. It was applied One-way ANOVA followed of Tukey to comparisons of average of categorizations. Results: Patients who did not presented deglutition disorders (27%, n=14) had less risk of developing PU in relation to patients with deglutition disorders (73%, n=38, p=0.0002). Patients with moderate risk of developing PU had serum albumin and hemoglobin levels statistically lower when compared to low risk patients (p=00.49, p=0.012, respectively). Analyzing these patients anemia type, it was suggested anemia for nutritional deficit, since that the Red Cell Distribution Width (RDW) was elevated and the mean corpuscular volume was normal. Conclusion: According to the results, it was observed an important association of biochemistry and dietetic parameters with the risk of PU development. It was not observed any association of anthropometric parameters with the risk of PU. The presence of anemia and deglutition disorders should be monitored, because they have a relation with PU development. The hospitalized patient nutritional monitoring is necessary in order to decrease the presence of medical complications and readmissions of patients after stroke.