Incidence, characteristics and influencing factors of medical adhesive-related skin injury in the indwelling urinary catheter attachment region in critically ill patients: A longitudinal study.

Background: Medical adhesives are potentially harmful to the skin, depending on the patient's condition, the adhesive agent and the adhesive application and removal technique.

Aim: The objective of the study was to determine the incidence, characteristics and influencing factors of medical adhesive-related skin injury from the indwelling urinary catheter attachment in critically ill patients.

Study Design: This is a longitudinal study. Data were collected in an adult intensive care unit of a university hospital, a sample size of 132. The socio-demographic and clinical data were obtained from the medical records. Skin exposed to indwelling urinary catheter adhesive tapes was examined daily by trained field researchers. The association between independent variables and medical adhesive-related skin injury was investigated by bivariate statistical analysis and multiple logistic regression.

Results: The medical adhesive-related skin injury incidence was 28%. The association between independent variables and medical adhesive-related skin injury was mechanical (91.8%): skin peeling (56.7%), skin breakdown (18.9%) and tension injury or blister (16.2%); followed by irritant contact dermatitis (21.6%), with no statistical difference between the groups. More than one type of medical adhesive-related skin injury was concomitantly located in 16% of patients, with skin peeling present in all of these cases. The length of stay in the intensive care unit was an independent risk factor for medical adhesive-related skin injury (odds ratio [OR]: 1.072; 95% confidence interval [2.1-12.5]) and the Braden Scale score was a predictive factor (OR: 0.711; 95% CI: 0.3-49.3), with higher scores indicating lower risk.

Conclusions: Medical adhesive-related skin injury at the indwelling urinary catheter fixation site is a relevant problem, its mechanical aetiology is predominant and most of the risk factors are modifiable.

Relevance To Clinical Practice: This evidence contributes to the epidemiological and clinical knowledge of medical adhesive-related skin injury at the indwelling urinary catheter attachment site, as well as to recognizing the problem as relevant and implementing preventive care.