DecubICUs: A Multicentre International One-Day Prevalence Study on Pressure Injuries in Intensive Care Units

Publications:

Epidemiology and Outcome of Pressure Injuries in Critically Ill Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease A propensity score adjusted analysis.Int J Nurs Stud. 2022 May;129:104222.  doi: 10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2022.104222. Epub 2022 Mar 8

Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study.  Open access:  Intensive Care Med 47, 160–169 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-020-06234-9

Q&A

What?

DecubICUs is a Multicentre International One-Day Prevalence Study on Pressure Injuries in Intensive Care Units.

Why?

The objective of this study was to provide an up-to-date, global picture of the extent and patterns of pressure injuries in ICUs. Point prevalence studies are only of value when performed on a vast scale. To sample a representative cohort, we intend to recruit about 1200 ICUs with all continents covered and as many countries as possible within each continent.

When?

The data collection date was 15 May 2018.

What data was required?

Recorded data included patient demographics, data on severity of underlying disease and acute illness, organ failure, pressure injuries, major risk factors for pressure injuries, and measures taken to prevent pressure injuries.

• Therapeutic intervention
  The study was purely observational in nature; no interventions were planned.
• Study population
  Inclusion criteria: All adult patients (>18 years of age). Exclusion criteria: There was no exclusion criteria. Patients with severe clinical conditions not allowing safe pressure injury identification were evaluated for the respective risk zones. 
• Duration
  1-day point-prevalence study with follow-up for survival at 84 days.

Was there any financial compensation?

No. Participation in the trial was completely voluntary.

Financial support

The project received a €25,000 grant from ESICM and a research grant from the Flemish Society for Critical Care Nurses (€10,000).

Any further Questions?

If you have additional questions, please contact your National Coordinator or research@esicm.org.

Educative Module

The aim of this educative module was to prepare data collectors for adequately staging pressure injuries on the study day. It is important that data collectors of each participating center study this module prior to the study day in order to obtain data that are of good quality.

• Access the educative module on the staging of pressure ulcers here

Document

• Protocol (English)

Contact

For more information, please contact research@esicm.org or the principal investigators Stijn Blot (stijn.blot@ugent.be) and Sonia Labeau (sonia.labeau@hogent.be)