title: Nutritional parameters at hospital admission as predictors of pressure ulcer development in elective surgery.
abstract: Nutritional parameters obtained at hospital admission were studied to determine whether they would predict which surgical patients would develop pressure ulcers during a period of up to three weeks of hospitalization. Nutrition parameters were serum albumin, total protein, lymphocyte count, mid-arm muscle circumference, triceps skin fold, and weight change. Lymphocyte count was significant (p = 0.007, adjusted r2 = 0.019) in predicting the development of a pressure ulcer during hospitalization. Because lymphocyte count accounted for less than 2% of the variance, it is not a clinically significant predictor. When nonnutritional pressure ulcer risk factors were controlled for in the regression, no nutritional factors were predictive of ulcer development.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009752:Nutritional Status; D010343:Patient Admission; D011312:Pressure; D012883:Skin Ulcer / Q000209:etiology*; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative