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Comparative Study
. 2013 Oct;36(5):439-52.
doi: 10.1002/nur.21557. Epub 2013 Aug 1.

The effectiveness of three types of alternating pressure air mattresses in the prevention of pressure ulcers in Belgian hospitals

Liesbet Demarré  1 , Sofie Verhaeghe, Ann Van Hecke, Maria Grypdonck, Els Clays, Katrien Vanderwee, Dimitri Beeckman
Affiliations
Comparative Study

The effectiveness of three types of alternating pressure air mattresses in the prevention of pressure ulcers in Belgian hospitals

Liesbet Demarré et al. Res Nurs Health. 2013 Oct.

Abstract

To compare the effectiveness of multi-stage and one-stage alternating low-pressure air mattresses (ALPAM) and alternating pressure air mattress (APAM) overlays in preventing pressure ulcers among hospitalized patients, data were pooled (N = 617) from a study of patients allocated to multi-stage ALPAM (n = 252) or one-stage ALPAM (n = 264), and another study of patients allocated to APAM overlay (n = 101). Cumulative pressure ulcer incidence was 4.9% (n = 30) over 14 days. Fewer ulcers developed on multi-stage ALPAM compared with APAM overlay (OR = 0.33; 95% CI [0.11, 0.97]), but no difference was found between one-stage ALPAM and APAM overlay (OR = 0.40; 95% CI [0.14, 1.10]). Time to develop ulcers did not differ by mattress type.

Keywords: alternating low-pressure air mattress; alternating pressure air mattress; decubitus ulcers; pressure ulcers; prevention; support surfaces.

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