The effectiveness of massage with and without dimethyl sulfoxide in preventing pressure ulcers: a randomized, double-blind cross-over trial in patients prone to pressure ulcers.
BACKGROUND
Although guidelines advise against massage, it is one of the methods widely regarded and used by nurses to prevent pressure ulcers (PU).


OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of different variations of massage in preventing pressure ulcers.


METHODS
A randomized, double-blind cross-over design, in which patients of nursing homes who are prone to PU underwent two of the three possible interventions; 'position changes only', 'massaging with an indifferent cream' and 'massaging with a dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) cream'.


RESULTS
The results of three interventions did not differ significantly. DMSO did not fulfil the expectations raised by literature and a previous pilot-study.
Duimel-Peeters
Inge G P
IG
Department of Health Care Studies/Section Nursing Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiteit Maastricht, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, the Netherlands. idu@bze7.azm.nl
J G Halfens
Ruud
R
Ambergen
Anton W
AW
Houwing
Ronald H
RH
P F Berger
Martijn
M
Snoeckx
Luc H E H
LH
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D003879:Dermatologic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004121:Dimethyl Sulfoxide / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008405:Massage / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D009735:Nursing Homes; D011187:Posture; D003668:Pressure Ulcer / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*
D003879:Dermatologic Agents; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D004121:Dimethyl Sulfoxide