title: Evaluation of the pressure ulcers risk scales with critically ill patients: a prospective cohort study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  to evaluate the accuracy of the Braden and Waterlow risk assessment scales in critically ill inpatients.
  
  
  METHODS
  this prospective cohort study, with 55 patients in intensive care units, was performed through evaluation of sociodemographic and clinical variables, through the application of the scales (Braden and Waterlow) upon admission and every 48 hours; and through the evaluation and classification of the ulcers into categories.
  
  
  RESULTS
  the pressure ulcer incidence was 30.9%, with the Braden and Waterlow scales presenting high sensitivity (41% and 71%) and low specificity (21% and 47%) respectively in the three evaluations. The cut off scores found in the first, second and third evaluations were 12, 12 and 11 in the Braden scale, and 16, 15 and 14 in the Waterlow scale.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  the Braden scale was shown to be a good screening instrument, and the Waterlow scale proved to have better predictive power.
authors: Hospital Universitário Cassiano Antônio Moraes, Universidade Federal do Espirito Santo, Vitória, ES, Brazil.
authors: Andressa Tomazini
authors: AT
authors: Borghardt
authors: Departamento de Enfermagem, Universidade Federal do Espirito Santo, Vitória, ES, Brazil.
authors: Thiago Nascimento do
authors: TN
authors: Prado
authors: Instituto de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade da Integração Internacional da Lusofonia Afro-Brasileira, Redenção, CE, Brazil.
authors: Thiago Moura de
authors: TM
authors: Araújo
authors: Hospital Universitário, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors: Noemi Marisa Brunet
authors: NM
authors: Rogenski
authors: Universidade Federal do Espirito Santo, Vitória, ES, Brazil.
authors: Maria Edla de Oliveira
authors: ME
authors: Bringuente
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016638:Critical Illness; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D003668:Pressure Ulcer / Q000145:classification* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D018570:Risk Assessment; D055815:Young Adult