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Skin tear prevalence and associated factors: a systematic review

Prevalencia de lesión por fricción y factores asociados: revisión sistemática

Abstracts

OBJECTIVE

To identify and analyse skin tear prevalence and factors associated with its occurrence.

METHOD

Systematic review of literature of studies published until June 2014 including studies published in full in English, Spanish or Portuguese. The studies were analysed according to the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology and the Guidelines for Critically Appraising Studies of Prevalence or Incidence of a Health Problem.

RESULTS

The analysis of eight studies showed skin tear prevalence of 3.3% to 22% in the hospital setting and 5.5% to 19.5% in homecare. Advanced age, dependence on basic activities of daily life, frail elderly, level of mobility, agitated behavior, non-responsiveness, greater risk for concurrent development of pressure ulcers, cognitive impairment, spasticity and photoaging were cited as risk factors.

CONCLUSION

Skin tear prevalence ranged from 3.3% to 22% and is mainly associated with advanced age and dependence on basic activities of daily life.

Wounds and Injuries; Prevalence; Cross-Sectional Studies; Epidemiology; Review


OBJETIVO

Identificar y analizar la prevalencia de lesión por fricción y los factores asociados con su ocurrencia.

MÉTODO

Revisión sistemática de la literatura publicada hasta junio de 2014 con la inclusión de estudios publicados integralmente en inglés, español o portugués. Los estudios fueron analizados según el Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology y el Guidelines for Critically Appraising Studies of Prevalence or Incidence of a Health Problem.

RESULTADOS

Los análisis de ocho estudios mostraron prevalencia de lesión del 3,3% al 22% en el escenario hospitalario y del 5,5% al 19,5% en el domiciliario. Edad avanzada, dependencia para las actividades básicas de vida diarias, anciano frágil, nivel de movilidad, comportamiento agitado, falta de responsividad, mayor riesgo para el desarrollo concomitante de úlcera por presión, afectación cognitiva, espasticidad y fotoenvejecimiento fueron los factores de riesgo citados.

CONCLUSIÓN

La prevalencia de lesión varió del 3,3% al 22%, estando asociada principalmente con la edad avanzada y la dependencia para las actividades básicas de vida diarias.

Heridas y Traumatismos; Prevalencia; Estudios Transversales; Epidemiología; Revisión


OBJETIVO

Identificar e analisar a prevalência de lesão por fricção e os fatores associados à sua ocorrência.

MÉTODO

Revisão sistemática da literatura publicada até junho de 2014 com a inclusão de estudos publicados na íntegra em inglês, espanhol ou português. Os estudos foram analisados segundo o Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology e o Guidelines for Critically Appraising Studies of Prevalence or Incidence of a Health Problem.

RESULTADOS

As análises de oito estudos mostraram prevalência de lesão de 3,3% a 22% no cenário hospitalar e 5,5% a 19,5% no domiciliar. Idade avançada, dependência para as atividades básicas de vida diárias, idoso frágil, nível de mobilidade, comportamento agitado, arresponsividade, maior risco para o desenvolvimento concomitante de úlcera por pressão, comprometimento cognitivo, espasticidade e fotoenvelhecimento foram os fatores de risco citados.

CONCLUSÃO

A prevalência de lesão variou de 3,3% a 22%, estando associada principalmente à idade avançada e dependência para as atividades básicas de vida diárias.

Ferimentos e Lesões; Prevalência; Estudos Transversais; Epidemiologia; Revisão


Introduction

Caring for people with fragile skin is a challenge when a minor trauma can result in Skin Tear (ST)(1Groom M, Shannon RJ, Chakravarthy D, Fleck CA. An evaluation of costs and effects of a nutrient-based skin care program as a component of prevention of skin tears in an extended convalescent center. J Wound Ostomy Continence Nurs. 2010;37(1):46-51.).

Although some researchers suggest that Skin Tear is more prevalent than pressure ulcers and burns(4Carville K, Lewin G, Newall N, Haslehurst P, Michael R, Santamaria N, et al. STAR: a consensus for skin tear classification. Primary Intention. 2007;15(1):8-25.), ST go unnoticed as they are shallow traumatic wounds, occurring mainly in elderly ends resulting from friction or a combination of friction and shear, leading to separation of the epidermis from the dermis (partial thickness wound) or completely separating the epidermis and the dermis from the underlying structures (total thickness wound)(6Strazzieri-Pulido KC, Santos VLCG,. Carville K Cultural adaptation content validity and inter-rater reliability of the "STAR Skin Tear Classification System". Rev Latino Am Enfermagem [Internet]. 2015 [cited 2015 Mar 22];23(1):155-61. Available from: http://www.scielo.br/pdf/rlae/v23n1/0104-1169-rlae-23-01-00155.pdf
http://www.scielo.br/pdf/rlae/v23n1/0104...
). They are regarded as inherent to the age, inducing the feeling of an irrelevant condition, however, they cause pain and can easily be infected(2Stephen-Haynes J, Callaghan R, Bethell E, Greenwood M. The assessment and management of skin tear in care homes. Br J Nurs. 2011;20(11):S12-6.

LeBlanc K, Baranoski S. Skin tears: state of the science: consensus statements for the prevention, prediction, assessment, and treatment of skin tears. Adv Skin Wound Care. 2011;24(9):2-15.
-4Carville K, Lewin G, Newall N, Haslehurst P, Michael R, Santamaria N, et al. STAR: a consensus for skin tear classification. Primary Intention. 2007;15(1):8-25.,7Meuleneire F. Using a soft silicone-coated net dressing to manage skin tears. J Wound Care. 2002;11(10):365-9.).

Because they are relegated as mere casual unavoidable incidents, there is little interest and therefore, they are underdiagnosed. The lack of diagnostic accuracy and understanding of the causes involved, contributes to increasing pain and suffering, healing time and treatment costs, negatively affecting the quality of care(2Stephen-Haynes J, Callaghan R, Bethell E, Greenwood M. The assessment and management of skin tear in care homes. Br J Nurs. 2011;20(11):S12-6.

LeBlanc K, Baranoski S. Skin tears: state of the science: consensus statements for the prevention, prediction, assessment, and treatment of skin tears. Adv Skin Wound Care. 2011;24(9):2-15.
-4Carville K, Lewin G, Newall N, Haslehurst P, Michael R, Santamaria N, et al. STAR: a consensus for skin tear classification. Primary Intention. 2007;15(1):8-25.,7Meuleneire F. Using a soft silicone-coated net dressing to manage skin tears. J Wound Care. 2002;11(10):365-9.-8Payne RL, Martin ML. Defining and classifying skin tears: need for a common language. Ostomy Wound Manage. 1993;39(5):16-20.).

For less than 25 years, researchers have slowly begun to monitor the epidemiology of ST in order to build and refine appropriate nomenclature and risk assessment instruments and classification(8Payne RL, Martin ML. Defining and classifying skin tears: need for a common language. Ostomy Wound Manage. 1993;39(5):16-20.), fundamental instruments for the evaluation of the wound and planning care actions, which are essential for its prevention(1010 Battersby L. Exploring best practice in the management of skin tears in older people. Nurs Times. 2009;105(16):22-6.).

Simple measures such as the identification of patients at risk and the implementation of prevention protocols are proving to be effective to prevent ST or minimize its severity(1212 Lopez V, Dunk AM, Cubit K, Parke J, Larkin D, Trudinger M, et al. Skin tear prevention and management among patients in the acute aged care and rehabilitation units in the Australian Capital Territory: a best practice implementation project. Int J Evid Based Healthc. 2011;9(4):429-34.). Researches(1Groom M, Shannon RJ, Chakravarthy D, Fleck CA. An evaluation of costs and effects of a nutrient-based skin care program as a component of prevention of skin tears in an extended convalescent center. J Wound Ostomy Continence Nurs. 2010;37(1):46-51.) show that the occurrence of ST decreases as soon as an individual is identified at risk and preventive measures are implemented.

In order to bring tangible foundations on all scientific knowledge that still needs to be built on the ST, the International Skin Tear Advisory Panel(3LeBlanc K, Baranoski S. Skin tears: state of the science: consensus statements for the prevention, prediction, assessment, and treatment of skin tears. Adv Skin Wound Care. 2011;24(9):2-15.)recommends and encourages the development of studies to elucidate the epidemiology of ST in the health services and in the community.

This review aimed at identifying and analyzing the information available in the literature on the prevalence of ST, as well as factors associated with its occurrence in children, adults and elderly.

Method

Systematic review of the literature according to the recommendations of the Cochrane Collaboration(1414 Higgins JPT, Green S, editors. Cochrane handbook for systematic reviews of interventions. Version 5.1.0 updated March 2011 [Internet]. London: Cochrane Collaboration; 2011 [cited 2014. Available from: www.cochrane-handbook.org
http://www.cochrane-handbook.org...
).

The guiding question of this review was: What is the information available in the literature on the prevalence and factors associated with ST in children, adults and elderly? To clarify it, the following electronic databases were consulted: CINAHL, Cochrane, EBM Reviews, Embase, LILACS, PubMed, SciELO, Scopus and Web of Science up to June 2014. For the selection of studies, we used the following criteria: to be published in English, Spanish or Portuguese until June 2014, to be available in full and to be an epidemiological research, that is, directed at the investigation of the prevalence of ST. Book chapters, conference abstracts, review articles, case reports, consensus, editorials, guidelines, correspondences, clinical trials, cohort studies and case-control studies were excluded.

The search strategy was based not only on indexed descriptors by Medical Subject Headings Section and Descriptors in Health Sciences - bold in Box 1 - but also on keywords used in narrative reviews and up to date studies, since the terminology about ST is not uniform. The search for studies was performed using Boolean operators AND and OR, respecting the peculiarities of each database searched. Chart 1shows the search strategy.

Chart 1
Search strategy - Sao Paulo, 2014.

The search for studies was conducted by one of the authors in each of the electronic databases. The search results were exported to EndNote Web®program, which stored the following data from each study: title, authors, journal title, number, volume, page, section, abstract and keywords.

The initial selection of studies was performed from the title and abstract analysis. The studies were randomized among the authors, and each of them had to be analyzed by two authors. Studies, which generated doubts about the relevance of their inclusion, were analyzed by a third author.

Studies that had their abstracts selected were redeemed in full and randomly distributed among the authors, and each one of them had to be analyzed by two authors. A third author judged the validation of analysis, evaluating and comparing 30% of the studies, chosen through a raffle.

The studies were analyzed descriptively and the results were grouped and presented with respect to: year of publication, country where the study was conducted, methods (population/sample; prevalence of ST; ST instruments used for classification, and statistics strategies analysis) and the main results found by the authors (prevalence of ST and factors associated with ST, when identified).

To assess the quality of the studies included in this review both the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE)(1515 Malta M, Cardoso LO, Bastos FI, Magnanini MMF, Silva CMFP. STROBE initiative: guidelines on reporting observational studies. Rev Saúde Pública. 2010;44(3):559-65.) and the Guidelines for Critically Appraising Studies of Prevalence or Incidence of a Health Problem (1616 Loney PL, Chambers LW, Bennett KJ, Roberts JG, Stratford PW. Critical appraisal of the health research literature: prevalence or incidence of a health problem. Chronic Dis Can. 1998;19(4):170-6.)were used.

STROBE, translated into Portuguese by Malta et al.(1515 Malta M, Cardoso LO, Bastos FI, Magnanini MMF, Silva CMFP. STROBE initiative: guidelines on reporting observational studies. Rev Saúde Pública. 2010;44(3):559-65.), contains 22 items with recommendations on what should be included in a more accurate and full description of observational studies. Each of the 22 criteria received a score of 0 to 1. The total score was converted into percentage to better assess the quality of the studies. The items that reached a percentage higher than 50% were considered of good quality.

The Guidelines for Critically Appraising Studies of Prevalence or Incidence of a Health Problem, developed by Loney et al.(1616 Loney PL, Chambers LW, Bennett KJ, Roberts JG, Stratford PW. Critical appraisal of the health research literature: prevalence or incidence of a health problem. Chronic Dis Can. 1998;19(4):170-6.)consist of eight questions on the adequacy and accuracy of the study relating to the validity of the methods, interpretation and applicability of the results. Each item was rated with a point, generating maximum score of 8 points. Loney et al.(1616 Loney PL, Chambers LW, Bennett KJ, Roberts JG, Stratford PW. Critical appraisal of the health research literature: prevalence or incidence of a health problem. Chronic Dis Can. 1998;19(4):170-6.)did not establish quality categories neither for the score obtained nor for the cut-off score. Studies which reached more than 4 points were considered of good quality. The system is presented in Chart 2.

Chart 2
Guidelines for Critically Appraising Studies of Prevalence or Incidence of a Health Problem - Sao Paulo, 2014.

Results

The search in the nine databases resulted in 8,095 studies. After removing 2,426 duplicates, 5,669 studies were directed to title screening. After reading the titles, 5,433 studies were removed, leaving 236 studies for abstract analysis. Of these, book chapters, conference abstracts, review studies, case reports, consensus, editorials, guidelines, correspondences, clinical trials, cohort studies and case-control were excluded. Remaining only nine studies on the prevalence of ST, of which eight(1717 Carville K,. Lewin G Caring in the community: a wound prevalence survey. Primary Intention. 1998;6(2):54-62.) met the inclusion criteria and were read in full. The only excluded study(2525 Hsu M, Chang S. A study on skin tear prevalence and related risk factors among inpatients. Tzu Chi Nurs J. 2010;9(4):84-95.) did not meet the language criterion, since it was published in Chinese.

Embase (57.42%) and PubMed (34.48%) were the databases that found the largest number of studies. The less representative databases were Cochrane (0.84%), CINAHL (0.21%), SciELO (0.10%), EBM Reviews (0.09%) and LILACS (0.01%), as shown Table 1.

Table 1
Studies identified according to databases - Sao Paulo, 2014.

Chart 3 presents a summary of the six selected articles.

Chart 3
Study stratified by author, year of publication, country, methods, results and quality score - Sao Paulo, 2014.

The studies are mostly from Australia (4)(1717 Carville K,. Lewin G Caring in the community: a wound prevalence survey. Primary Intention. 1998;6(2):54-62.

18 Carville K, Smith JA. A report on the effectiveness of comprehensive wound assessment and documentation in the community. Primary Intention. 2004;12(1):41-8.
-1919 McErlean B, Sandison S, Muir D, Hutchinson B, Humphreys W. Skin tear prevalence and management at one hospital. Primary Intention. 2004;12(2):83-6,8.,2121 Santamaria N, Carville K, Prentice J. Woundswest: identifying the prevalence of wounds within western Australia's public health system. EWMA J. 2009;9(3):13-8.), predominantly from hospital settings (6)(1919 McErlean B, Sandison S, Muir D, Hutchinson B, Humphreys W. Skin tear prevalence and management at one hospital. Primary Intention. 2004;12(2):83-6,8.)or homecare (2)(1717 Carville K,. Lewin G Caring in the community: a wound prevalence survey. Primary Intention. 1998;6(2):54-62.). Physical examination was the main strategy for data collection, being held in seven studies(1818 Carville K, Smith JA. A report on the effectiveness of comprehensive wound assessment and documentation in the community. Primary Intention. 2004;12(1):41-8.). Payne-Martin Classification System for Skin Tears was used by one of the Australian(1919 McErlean B, Sandison S, Muir D, Hutchinson B, Humphreys W. Skin tear prevalence and management at one hospital. Primary Intention. 2004;12(2):83-6,8.)and the Canadian(2323 LeBlanc K, Christensen D, Cook J, Culhane B, Gutierrez O. Prevalence of skin tears in a long-term care facility. Wound Ostomy Continence Nurs. 2013;40(6):580-4.)studies. The Brazilian study(2222 Amaral AFS, Strazzieri-Pulido KC,. Santos VLCG Prevalence of skin tears among hospitalized pacients with cancer. Rev Esc Enferm USP [Internet[. 2012 [cited 2014 Aug 22];46(n.spe):44-50. Available from: http://www.scielo.br/pdf/reeusp/v46nspe/en_07.pdf
http://www.scielo.br/pdf/reeusp/v46nspe/...
), as well as Japanese(2424 Koyano Y, Nakagami G, Iizaka S, Minematsu T, Noguchi H, Tamai N, et al. Exploring the prevalence of skin tears and skin properties related to skin tears in elderly patients at a long-term medical facility in Japan. Int Wound J. 2014 Mar 28. [Epub ahead of print]), used the Classification System STAR - Skin tears STAR Skin Tear Classification System. However, most studies (4)(1717 Carville K,. Lewin G Caring in the community: a wound prevalence survey. Primary Intention. 1998;6(2):54-62.-1818 Carville K, Smith JA. A report on the effectiveness of comprehensive wound assessment and documentation in the community. Primary Intention. 2004;12(1):41-8.,2020 McLane KM, Bookout K, McCord S, McCain J, Jefferson LS. The 2003 national pediatric pressure ulcer and skin breakdown prevalence survey: a multisite study. J Wound Ostomy Continence Nurs. 2004;31(4):168-78.-2121 Santamaria N, Carville K, Prentice J. Woundswest: identifying the prevalence of wounds within western Australia's public health system. EWMA J. 2009;9(3):13-8.)did not mention which instrument was used for the classification of ST.

The prevalence of ST ranged from 3.3% to 22% in the hospital setting(1919 McErlean B, Sandison S, Muir D, Hutchinson B, Humphreys W. Skin tear prevalence and management at one hospital. Primary Intention. 2004;12(2):83-6,8.) and 5.5% to 19.5% in homecare(1717 Carville K,. Lewin G Caring in the community: a wound prevalence survey. Primary Intention. 1998;6(2):54-62.). With regard to risk factors associated with ST, advanced age (3)(1717 Carville K,. Lewin G Caring in the community: a wound prevalence survey. Primary Intention. 1998;6(2):54-62.-1818 Carville K, Smith JA. A report on the effectiveness of comprehensive wound assessment and documentation in the community. Primary Intention. 2004;12(1):41-8.,2121 Santamaria N, Carville K, Prentice J. Woundswest: identifying the prevalence of wounds within western Australia's public health system. EWMA J. 2009;9(3):13-8.)and dependence for basic activities of daily life (3)(1919 McErlean B, Sandison S, Muir D, Hutchinson B, Humphreys W. Skin tear prevalence and management at one hospital. Primary Intention. 2004;12(2):83-6,8.,2222 Amaral AFS, Strazzieri-Pulido KC,. Santos VLCG Prevalence of skin tears among hospitalized pacients with cancer. Rev Esc Enferm USP [Internet[. 2012 [cited 2014 Aug 22];46(n.spe):44-50. Available from: http://www.scielo.br/pdf/reeusp/v46nspe/en_07.pdf
http://www.scielo.br/pdf/reeusp/v46nspe/...
-2323 LeBlanc K, Christensen D, Cook J, Culhane B, Gutierrez O. Prevalence of skin tears in a long-term care facility. Wound Ostomy Continence Nurs. 2013;40(6):580-4.)were the most cited. Other factors mentioned were frail elderly(1818 Carville K, Smith JA. A report on the effectiveness of comprehensive wound assessment and documentation in the community. Primary Intention. 2004;12(1):41-8.), level of mobility, agitated behavior, non-responsiveness, greater risk for concurrent development of pressure ulcers(2222 Amaral AFS, Strazzieri-Pulido KC,. Santos VLCG Prevalence of skin tears among hospitalized pacients with cancer. Rev Esc Enferm USP [Internet[. 2012 [cited 2014 Aug 22];46(n.spe):44-50. Available from: http://www.scielo.br/pdf/reeusp/v46nspe/en_07.pdf
http://www.scielo.br/pdf/reeusp/v46nspe/...
), cognitive impairment, spasticity(2323 LeBlanc K, Christensen D, Cook J, Culhane B, Gutierrez O. Prevalence of skin tears in a long-term care facility. Wound Ostomy Continence Nurs. 2013;40(6):580-4.)and photoaging(2424 Koyano Y, Nakagami G, Iizaka S, Minematsu T, Noguchi H, Tamai N, et al. Exploring the prevalence of skin tears and skin properties related to skin tears in elderly patients at a long-term medical facility in Japan. Int Wound J. 2014 Mar 28. [Epub ahead of print]). One study(2020 McLane KM, Bookout K, McCord S, McCain J, Jefferson LS. The 2003 national pediatric pressure ulcer and skin breakdown prevalence survey: a multisite study. J Wound Ostomy Continence Nurs. 2004;31(4):168-78.)did not mention risk factors associated with ST.

Only one study(1717 Carville K,. Lewin G Caring in the community: a wound prevalence survey. Primary Intention. 1998;6(2):54-62.)was not considered of good quality, reaching 48% of STROBE and 4 points in the system developed by Loney et al.(1616 Loney PL, Chambers LW, Bennett KJ, Roberts JG, Stratford PW. Critical appraisal of the health research literature: prevalence or incidence of a health problem. Chronic Dis Can. 1998;19(4):170-6.). However, the performance of all studies(1717 Carville K,. Lewin G Caring in the community: a wound prevalence survey. Primary Intention. 1998;6(2):54-62.)was hampered, since none of them had confidence intervals on the estimates of prevalence, and most (4)(1717 Carville K,. Lewin G Caring in the community: a wound prevalence survey. Primary Intention. 1998;6(2):54-62.,1919 McErlean B, Sandison S, Muir D, Hutchinson B, Humphreys W. Skin tear prevalence and management at one hospital. Primary Intention. 2004;12(2):83-6,8.

20 McLane KM, Bookout K, McCord S, McCain J, Jefferson LS. The 2003 national pediatric pressure ulcer and skin breakdown prevalence survey: a multisite study. J Wound Ostomy Continence Nurs. 2004;31(4):168-78.
-2121 Santamaria N, Carville K, Prentice J. Woundswest: identifying the prevalence of wounds within western Australia's public health system. EWMA J. 2009;9(3):13-8.)did not describe the study subjects.

Discussion

In the hospital setting, the ST prevalence ranged from 3,3%(2222 Amaral AFS, Strazzieri-Pulido KC,. Santos VLCG Prevalence of skin tears among hospitalized pacients with cancer. Rev Esc Enferm USP [Internet[. 2012 [cited 2014 Aug 22];46(n.spe):44-50. Available from: http://www.scielo.br/pdf/reeusp/v46nspe/en_07.pdf
http://www.scielo.br/pdf/reeusp/v46nspe/...
)to 22%(2323 LeBlanc K, Christensen D, Cook J, Culhane B, Gutierrez O. Prevalence of skin tears in a long-term care facility. Wound Ostomy Continence Nurs. 2013;40(6):580-4.). The lowest rates (3.3%, 3.9% and 8%) were identified, respectively, in the studies developed in Brazil(2222 Amaral AFS, Strazzieri-Pulido KC,. Santos VLCG Prevalence of skin tears among hospitalized pacients with cancer. Rev Esc Enferm USP [Internet[. 2012 [cited 2014 Aug 22];46(n.spe):44-50. Available from: http://www.scielo.br/pdf/reeusp/v46nspe/en_07.pdf
http://www.scielo.br/pdf/reeusp/v46nspe/...
), in Japan(2424 Koyano Y, Nakagami G, Iizaka S, Minematsu T, Noguchi H, Tamai N, et al. Exploring the prevalence of skin tears and skin properties related to skin tears in elderly patients at a long-term medical facility in Japan. Int Wound J. 2014 Mar 28. [Epub ahead of print]) and in Australia(2121 Santamaria N, Carville K, Prentice J. Woundswest: identifying the prevalence of wounds within western Australia's public health system. EWMA J. 2009;9(3):13-8.). The Brazilian study(2222 Amaral AFS, Strazzieri-Pulido KC,. Santos VLCG Prevalence of skin tears among hospitalized pacients with cancer. Rev Esc Enferm USP [Internet[. 2012 [cited 2014 Aug 22];46(n.spe):44-50. Available from: http://www.scielo.br/pdf/reeusp/v46nspe/en_07.pdf
http://www.scielo.br/pdf/reeusp/v46nspe/...
)identified the prevalence of ST in adult patients hospitalized with cancer, the Japanese study(2424 Koyano Y, Nakagami G, Iizaka S, Minematsu T, Noguchi H, Tamai N, et al. Exploring the prevalence of skin tears and skin properties related to skin tears in elderly patients at a long-term medical facility in Japan. Int Wound J. 2014 Mar 28. [Epub ahead of print]) in a geriatric retired hospital and the Australian study(2121 Santamaria N, Carville K, Prentice J. Woundswest: identifying the prevalence of wounds within western Australia's public health system. EWMA J. 2009;9(3):13-8.) quantified the epidemiology of wounds, including ST, in all patients, regardless of age, admitted to hospitals/linked to the public health system hospitals of Western Australia.

Studies conducted in Australia(1919 McErlean B, Sandison S, Muir D, Hutchinson B, Humphreys W. Skin tear prevalence and management at one hospital. Primary Intention. 2004;12(2):83-6,8.), in the United States of America(2020 McLane KM, Bookout K, McCord S, McCain J, Jefferson LS. The 2003 national pediatric pressure ulcer and skin breakdown prevalence survey: a multisite study. J Wound Ostomy Continence Nurs. 2004;31(4):168-78.) and in Canada(2323 LeBlanc K, Christensen D, Cook J, Culhane B, Gutierrez O. Prevalence of skin tears in a long-term care facility. Wound Ostomy Continence Nurs. 2013;40(6):580-4.)identified the highest prevalence of ST (11%, 17% and 22%). The Australian study(1919 McErlean B, Sandison S, Muir D, Hutchinson B, Humphreys W. Skin tear prevalence and management at one hospital. Primary Intention. 2004;12(2):83-6,8.)identified ST prevalence in adult patients admitted to a tertiary hospital, the American study(2020 McLane KM, Bookout K, McCord S, McCain J, Jefferson LS. The 2003 national pediatric pressure ulcer and skin breakdown prevalence survey: a multisite study. J Wound Ostomy Continence Nurs. 2004;31(4):168-78.)documented the prevalence of pressure ulcers and other wounds, including ST, in hospitalized children, and the Canadian study(2323 LeBlanc K, Christensen D, Cook J, Culhane B, Gutierrez O. Prevalence of skin tears in a long-term care facility. Wound Ostomy Continence Nurs. 2013;40(6):580-4.)identified it on patients admitted to a long-term care facility.

Regarding homecare, all studies were conducted in Western Australia and the ST prevalence ranged from 5.5%(1717 Carville K,. Lewin G Caring in the community: a wound prevalence survey. Primary Intention. 1998;6(2):54-62.) to 19.5%(1818 Carville K, Smith JA. A report on the effectiveness of comprehensive wound assessment and documentation in the community. Primary Intention. 2004;12(1):41-8.). The lowest prevalence (5.5%) was identified in the study in patients with wounds being cared at home(1717 Carville K,. Lewin G Caring in the community: a wound prevalence survey. Primary Intention. 1998;6(2):54-62.). At that time, the authors chose to exclude ST in lower limbs. In a later study(1818 Carville K, Smith JA. A report on the effectiveness of comprehensive wound assessment and documentation in the community. Primary Intention. 2004;12(1):41-8.), conducted with patients from the Department of Veterans' Affairs in homecare for wound, the authors found a significantly higher prevalence (19.5%). When lower limb ST were included, there was a 10% increase in the prevalence of this type of wound(1818 Carville K, Smith JA. A report on the effectiveness of comprehensive wound assessment and documentation in the community. Primary Intention. 2004;12(1):41-8.).

As for the factors associated with ST, advanced age was identified in three studies analyzed(1717 Carville K,. Lewin G Caring in the community: a wound prevalence survey. Primary Intention. 1998;6(2):54-62.-1818 Carville K, Smith JA. A report on the effectiveness of comprehensive wound assessment and documentation in the community. Primary Intention. 2004;12(1):41-8.,2121 Santamaria N, Carville K, Prentice J. Woundswest: identifying the prevalence of wounds within western Australia's public health system. EWMA J. 2009;9(3):13-8.), and frail elderly in one study(1818 Carville K, Smith JA. A report on the effectiveness of comprehensive wound assessment and documentation in the community. Primary Intention. 2004;12(1):41-8.). Physiological changes associated with aging expose the elderly population to ST more than any other risk group. There is consensus among experts that it happens for two reasons: the weakening of the skin and susceptibility to trauma(3LeBlanc K, Baranoski S. Skin tears: state of the science: consensus statements for the prevention, prediction, assessment, and treatment of skin tears. Adv Skin Wound Care. 2011;24(9):2-15.-4Carville K, Lewin G, Newall N, Haslehurst P, Michael R, Santamaria N, et al. STAR: a consensus for skin tear classification. Primary Intention. 2007;15(1):8-25.,7Meuleneire F. Using a soft silicone-coated net dressing to manage skin tears. J Wound Care. 2002;11(10):365-9.-8Payne RL, Martin ML. Defining and classifying skin tears: need for a common language. Ostomy Wound Manage. 1993;39(5):16-20..

In the first case, with skin aging, or intrinsic aging, that is, premature increase in the keratinization of the epidermis and enlargement and flattening of skin grooves, along with the loss of the folding of the basal lamina. Consequently, the anchoring system between the layers of epidermis and dermis do not withstand well as to friction and shear(2727 Naylor EC, Watson RE, Sherratt MJ. Molecular aspects of skin ageing. Maturitas. 2011;69(3):249-56.).

On the other hand, in the dermis, fibroblasts begin to produce less collagen type I and more type III. Collagen fibers become tenuous, fragmented and separated by large areas occupied by fundamental amorphous substance. The mucopolysaccharides lose its structural function and is present as an amorphous pellet. The skin loses tensile strength, toughness, elasticity and extensibility(2727 Naylor EC, Watson RE, Sherratt MJ. Molecular aspects of skin ageing. Maturitas. 2011;69(3):249-56.).

The production of sweat and sebaceous glands is also reduced with age, skin becomes dehydrated, dry and inelastic. The subcutaneous layer becomes thinner and the fat pad less efficient in absorbing impact. The skin thickness decreases progressively, reaching a 20% loss in thickness(2727 Naylor EC, Watson RE, Sherratt MJ. Molecular aspects of skin ageing. Maturitas. 2011;69(3):249-56.).

The findings obtained in another study(2424 Koyano Y, Nakagami G, Iizaka S, Minematsu T, Noguchi H, Tamai N, et al. Exploring the prevalence of skin tears and skin properties related to skin tears in elderly patients at a long-term medical facility in Japan. Int Wound J. 2014 Mar 28. [Epub ahead of print]), infer that the risk factors for ST are not related only to the effects of skin aging but also to photoaging, or extrinsic aging. In the epidermis, exposure to ultraviolet radiation leads to thinning of the spinous layer and the flattening of the dermal-epidermal junction, while the dermis, is related to decreased collagen synthesis, as well as the increase of its degradation(2828 Battie C, Jitsukawa S, Bernerd F, Del Bino S, Marionnet C, Verschoore M. New insights in photoaging, UVA induced damage and skin types. Exp Dermatol. 2014;23 Suppl 1:7-12.). Photoaging, therefore, when enhancing skin aging, contribute further to their fragility, increasing thereby the risk for ST(2424 Koyano Y, Nakagami G, Iizaka S, Minematsu T, Noguchi H, Tamai N, et al. Exploring the prevalence of skin tears and skin properties related to skin tears in elderly patients at a long-term medical facility in Japan. Int Wound J. 2014 Mar 28. [Epub ahead of print]).

Added to the fragile skin of the elderly, they also present susceptibility to trauma. That happens because, over the years, the increase of musculoskeletal stiffness and muscle spasticity reduce sensory sensitivity, visual acuity and cognitive ability, leading to loss of physical mobility and increasing dependence for basic activities of daily life. All of these changes contribute to the considerable increase in the risk for trauma and make advanced age a major risk factor for ST(3LeBlanc K, Baranoski S. Skin tears: state of the science: consensus statements for the prevention, prediction, assessment, and treatment of skin tears. Adv Skin Wound Care. 2011;24(9):2-15.-4Carville K, Lewin G, Newall N, Haslehurst P, Michael R, Santamaria N, et al. STAR: a consensus for skin tear classification. Primary Intention. 2007;15(1):8-25.,7Meuleneire F. Using a soft silicone-coated net dressing to manage skin tears. J Wound Care. 2002;11(10):365-9.-8Payne RL, Martin ML. Defining and classifying skin tears: need for a common language. Ostomy Wound Manage. 1993;39(5):16-20.,1111 White M, Karam S, Cowell B. Skin tears in frail elders: a practical approach to prevention. Geriatric Nurs. 1994;15(2):95-9.,1313 Bank D, Nix D. Preventing skin tears in a nursing and rehabilitation center: an interdisciplinary effort. Ostomy Wound Manage. 2006:52(9):38-46.,2626 Bateman S. Treating skin tears with a new antimicrobial foam dressing. Wounds UK. 2012;8(1):95-9.-2727 Naylor EC, Watson RE, Sherratt MJ. Molecular aspects of skin ageing. Maturitas. 2011;69(3):249-56.).

Dependence for basic activities of daily living(1919 McErlean B, Sandison S, Muir D, Hutchinson B, Humphreys W. Skin tear prevalence and management at one hospital. Primary Intention. 2004;12(2):83-6,8.,2222 Amaral AFS, Strazzieri-Pulido KC,. Santos VLCG Prevalence of skin tears among hospitalized pacients with cancer. Rev Esc Enferm USP [Internet[. 2012 [cited 2014 Aug 22];46(n.spe):44-50. Available from: http://www.scielo.br/pdf/reeusp/v46nspe/en_07.pdf
http://www.scielo.br/pdf/reeusp/v46nspe/...
-2323 LeBlanc K, Christensen D, Cook J, Culhane B, Gutierrez O. Prevalence of skin tears in a long-term care facility. Wound Ostomy Continence Nurs. 2013;40(6):580-4.), non-responsiveness (which incurs total dependence), levels of mobility(2222 Amaral AFS, Strazzieri-Pulido KC,. Santos VLCG Prevalence of skin tears among hospitalized pacients with cancer. Rev Esc Enferm USP [Internet[. 2012 [cited 2014 Aug 22];46(n.spe):44-50. Available from: http://www.scielo.br/pdf/reeusp/v46nspe/en_07.pdf
http://www.scielo.br/pdf/reeusp/v46nspe/...
)and spasticity(2323 LeBlanc K, Christensen D, Cook J, Culhane B, Gutierrez O. Prevalence of skin tears in a long-term care facility. Wound Ostomy Continence Nurs. 2013;40(6):580-4.) were also identified as risk factors associated with ST.

In a study conducted with fully dependent elderly, who required assistance for basic activities of daily life, had large number of ST, particularly in the upper limbs(1111 White M, Karam S, Cowell B. Skin tears in frail elders: a practical approach to prevention. Geriatric Nurs. 1994;15(2):95-9.). They occurred during routine care, such as dressing and bathing, and during placements and transfers. Almost half of the ST (48%) occurred in bedridden elderly and 11% in those who required assistance to walk. In a descriptive study during six months of observation, it was found that the chances of presenting ST increased in the presence of gait difficulties(7Meuleneire F. Using a soft silicone-coated net dressing to manage skin tears. J Wound Care. 2002;11(10):365-9.). Wheelchairs were also associated with 25% of occurred traumas(9Malone ML, Rozario N, Gavinski M, Goodwin J. The epidemiology of skin tears in the institutionalized elderly. J Am Geriatri Soc. 1991:39(6):591-5.).

Agitated behavior also figured as a risk factor associated with the occurrence of ST(2222 Amaral AFS, Strazzieri-Pulido KC,. Santos VLCG Prevalence of skin tears among hospitalized pacients with cancer. Rev Esc Enferm USP [Internet[. 2012 [cited 2014 Aug 22];46(n.spe):44-50. Available from: http://www.scielo.br/pdf/reeusp/v46nspe/en_07.pdf
http://www.scielo.br/pdf/reeusp/v46nspe/...
). Researchers(1111 White M, Karam S, Cowell B. Skin tears in frail elders: a practical approach to prevention. Geriatric Nurs. 1994;15(2):95-9.) considered it as a predisposing factor to trauma and therefore, ST, and included psychomotor agitation as one of the risk items being investigated for their risk ST assessment instrument, the Skin Integrity Risk Assessment Tool.

The decline in cognitive ability stems from the physiological processes of normal aging or a transitional stage for dementias, reflecting in other cognitive domains beyond memory and interfering with work capacity and social life(3LeBlanc K, Baranoski S. Skin tears: state of the science: consensus statements for the prevention, prediction, assessment, and treatment of skin tears. Adv Skin Wound Care. 2011;24(9):2-15.). Some authors(7Meuleneire F. Using a soft silicone-coated net dressing to manage skin tears. J Wound Care. 2002;11(10):365-9.)found in their studies that the chances of presenting ST increased in the presence of cognitive impairment.

Newborns and children are also susceptible to ST and constitute the second largest risk group. The authors of the study confirmed that ST prevalence (17%) is higher than the pressure ulcer (4%) in the pediatric population(2020 McLane KM, Bookout K, McCord S, McCain J, Jefferson LS. The 2003 national pediatric pressure ulcer and skin breakdown prevalence survey: a multisite study. J Wound Ostomy Continence Nurs. 2004;31(4):168-78.). The age group up to 3 months old showed to be the most susceptible, because, besides having poor stratum corneum and dermal-epidermal junction undeveloped at birth, the dermis is thin, with only 60% of the thickness when compared to adult dermis. Tapes and adhesive bandages are identified as the main responsible for ST in this age group(2020 McLane KM, Bookout K, McCord S, McCain J, Jefferson LS. The 2003 national pediatric pressure ulcer and skin breakdown prevalence survey: a multisite study. J Wound Ostomy Continence Nurs. 2004;31(4):168-78.).

Clinical experience, however, provides strong evidence that ST is not restricted to the extremes of age(4Carville K, Lewin G, Newall N, Haslehurst P, Michael R, Santamaria N, et al. STAR: a consensus for skin tear classification. Primary Intention. 2007;15(1):8-25.,2928 Irving V, Bethell E, Burtin F. Neonatal wound care: minimizing trauma and pain. Wounds. 2006;2(1):33-41.-3030 Santos VLCG. SCALE: modificações da pele no final da vida [tradução]. Rev Estima. 2009;7(3):42-4.). Although elderly and newborns constitute the largest risk groups for ST, there are other groups which are prone to embrittlement of the skin and should not be ignored, such as critically ill individuals (in intensive care, or who have suffered major trauma or large surgery) at the end of life, or suffering from multiple extrinsic and intrinsic risk factors for ST regardless of age(2928 Irving V, Bethell E, Burtin F. Neonatal wound care: minimizing trauma and pain. Wounds. 2006;2(1):33-41.).

While studying patients hospitalized with cancer, the authors found many individuals under 50 years old with ST(2222 Amaral AFS, Strazzieri-Pulido KC,. Santos VLCG Prevalence of skin tears among hospitalized pacients with cancer. Rev Esc Enferm USP [Internet[. 2012 [cited 2014 Aug 22];46(n.spe):44-50. Available from: http://www.scielo.br/pdf/reeusp/v46nspe/en_07.pdf
http://www.scielo.br/pdf/reeusp/v46nspe/...
). The skin, like any other organ, can also fail. A severe medical condition certainly compromise the body's homeostatic mechanisms, which can cause skin to divert blood to vital organs, resulting in decreased skin and soft tissue perfusion and, consequently, compromising the metabolic processes of the skin. Small traumas would be able to cause major complications such as bleeding, gangrene, infection, pressure ulcers and ST. The tolerance to pressure and friction decreases in such a way that these conditions can make it impossible to prevent the breakage of the skin integrity(3030 Santos VLCG. SCALE: modificações da pele no final da vida [tradução]. Rev Estima. 2009;7(3):42-4.).

Hospitalized patients with cancer and ST also had a higher risk for pressure ulcer development (60%) than those without ST (12.5%)(2222 Amaral AFS, Strazzieri-Pulido KC,. Santos VLCG Prevalence of skin tears among hospitalized pacients with cancer. Rev Esc Enferm USP [Internet[. 2012 [cited 2014 Aug 22];46(n.spe):44-50. Available from: http://www.scielo.br/pdf/reeusp/v46nspe/en_07.pdf
http://www.scielo.br/pdf/reeusp/v46nspe/...
). Similarly to this study(2222 Amaral AFS, Strazzieri-Pulido KC,. Santos VLCG Prevalence of skin tears among hospitalized pacients with cancer. Rev Esc Enferm USP [Internet[. 2012 [cited 2014 Aug 22];46(n.spe):44-50. Available from: http://www.scielo.br/pdf/reeusp/v46nspe/en_07.pdf
http://www.scielo.br/pdf/reeusp/v46nspe/...
)other authors(8Payne RL, Martin ML. Defining and classifying skin tears: need for a common language. Ostomy Wound Manage. 1993;39(5):16-20.) also found that most elderly with ST (60%) had the lowest Braden scores and hence higher risk for developing pressure ulcers. Although developed with other age groups, study subjects have similar characteristics to those patients with cancer cited at the beginning of this paragraph, especially some precarious conditions of global health, especially the activity and mobility and therefore, they were also at higher risk for developing pressure ulcers(8Payne RL, Martin ML. Defining and classifying skin tears: need for a common language. Ostomy Wound Manage. 1993;39(5):16-20.).

There is still a lot to be done in order to elucidate the epidemiology of ST. The methodological diversity of the studies, as data collection and statistical processing of data and the different criteria used in the classification of ST, besides the multitude of scenarios and the target population, make it difficult and sometimes impossible to generalize the results. It was also highlighted the importance of the presentation of the quantitative results of prevalence studies with their respective confidence intervals, which statistically estimate how reliable the values found are(1616 Loney PL, Chambers LW, Bennett KJ, Roberts JG, Stratford PW. Critical appraisal of the health research literature: prevalence or incidence of a health problem. Chronic Dis Can. 1998;19(4):170-6.). Also, they recommend that such prevalence should be analyzed in subgroups such as gender and age, among other variables that may be considered relevant. Unfortunately, this recommendation was not performed in any of the eight studies analyzed.

Restriction of the publication language was one limitation of this study, resulting in the exclusion of a study, published in Chinese(2525 Hsu M, Chang S. A study on skin tear prevalence and related risk factors among inpatients. Tzu Chi Nurs J. 2010;9(4):84-95.).

Nevertheless, it is considered that the present study, through the summary of the knowledge about the prevalence of ST and factors associated with its occurrence, contributes to the development of protocols for prevention, and risk screening instruments for those wounds in the light of evidence-based practice.

Conclusion

The prevalence of ST ranged from 3.3% to 22% in hospital settings, and from 5.5% to 19.5%, in homecare. It was mainly associated with advanced age and dependence on basic activities of daily life.

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Publication Dates

  • Publication in this collection
    Jul-Aug 2015

History

  • Received
    02 Oct 2014
  • Accepted
    03 Mar 2015
Universidade de São Paulo, Escola de Enfermagem Av. Dr. Enéas de Carvalho Aguiar, 419 , 05403-000 São Paulo - SP/ Brasil, Tel./Fax: (55 11) 3061-7553, - São Paulo - SP - Brazil
E-mail: reeusp@usp.br