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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2006 Jun 17;332(7555):1413.
doi: 10.1136/bmj.38849.478299.7C. Epub 2006 Jun 1.

Randomised, controlled trial of alternating pressure mattresses compared with alternating pressure overlays for the prevention of pressure ulcers: PRESSURE (pressure relieving support surfaces) trial

Jane Nixon  1 , Gillian Cranny, Cynthia Iglesias, E Andrea Nelson, Kim Hawkins, Angela Phillips, David Torgerson, Su Mason, Nicky Cullum
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Randomised, controlled trial of alternating pressure mattresses compared with alternating pressure overlays for the prevention of pressure ulcers: PRESSURE (pressure relieving support surfaces) trial

Jane Nixon et al. BMJ. .

Erratum in

  • BMJ. 2006 Jul 1;333(7557):30

Abstract

Objective: To compare whether differences exist between alternating pressure overlays and alternating pressure mattresses in the development of new pressure ulcers, healing of existing pressure ulcers, and patient acceptability.

Design: Pragmatic, open, multicentre, randomised controlled trial.

Setting: 11 hospitals in six NHS trusts.

Participants: 1972 people admitted to hospital as acute or elective patients.

Interventions: Participants were randomised to an alternating pressure mattress (n = 982) or an alternating pressure overlay (n = 990).

Main outcome measures: The proportion of participants developing a new pressure ulcer of grade 2 or worse; time to development of new pressure ulcers; proportions of participants developing a new ulcer within 30 days; healing of existing pressure ulcers; and patient acceptability.

Results: Intention to treat analysis found no difference in the proportions of participants developing a new pressure ulcer of grade 2 or worse (10.7% overlay patients, 10.3% mattress patients; difference 0.4%, 95% confidence interval--2.3% to 3.1%, P = 0.75). More overlay patients requested change owing to dissatisfaction (23.3%) than mattress patients (18.9%, P = 0.02).

Conclusion: No difference was found between alternating pressure mattresses and alternating pressure overlays in the proportion of people who develop a pressure ulcer.

Trial registration: ISRCTN 78646179.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flow of participants through trial
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment in

References

    1. European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel. Pressure ulcer treatment guidelines. 1999. www.epuap.org/gltreatment.html (accessed 9 May 2006).
    1. Kaltenhaler E, Whitfield MD, Walters SJ, Akehurst RL, Paisley S. UK, USA and Canada: how do their pressure ulcer prevalence and incidence data compare? J Wound Care 2001;10: 530-5. - PubMed
    1. Nixon J, Thorpe H, Barrow H, Phillips A, Nelson EA, Mason S, et al. Reliability of pressure ulcer classification and diagnosis. J Adv Nurs 2005;50: 613-23. - PubMed
    1. Cullum N, McInnes E, Bell-Syer SE, Legood R. Support surfaces for pressure ulcer prevention. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2004; CD001735. - PubMed
    1. Bergstrom N, Braden BJ, Laguzza A, Holman V. The Braden scale for predicting pressure sore risk. Nurs Res 1987;36: 205-10. - PubMed

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