Application of infrared thermography for predicting pressure injury healing: A prospective study.

Background: An accurate assessment of pressure injury healing is crucial for the timely implementation of nursing intervention. This study aimed to investigate the accuracy of infrared thermography-based wound temperature measurement in predicting wound outcomes.

Methods: This prospective, 16 days observational study included 156 adults with pressure injury. The temperature of wound bed, periwound skin and normal skin was recorded by using infrared thermography every three days. After that, three relative temperatures of PI were analyzed. The aim was to assess the significance of wound temperature in predicting healing outcomes for pressure injuries.

Results: Relative temperature between periwound skin and normal skin was positively correlated with pressure injury healing (r > 0.64). Particularly the first day of follow up, it was found to be closely related to pressure injury healing (r = 0.687). On the last day and median time (the eighth to ninth day) of follow up, the optimal cutoff values of the indicator were negative values (periwound skin temperature was lower than normal skin). COX proportional hazard regression model analysis showed that relative temperature between periwound skin and normal skin on the first day of follow-up was the most significant predictor of pressure injury healing, and the healing risk increased largest- 8.79 times (95%CI: 4.53, 17.05), when its temperature greater than 0.000 °C.

Conclusion: Relative temperature between periwound skin and normal skin monitoring by infrared thermography better than visual assessment which can objectively serve as an indicator for predicting the healing status of pressure injury.