Skin lesions in the ICU

Objective: The objective of this study is to identify the dermatological di sorders (DDs) responsible for the most common skin lesions in the ICU, thei r incidence and their impact on mortality, degree of severity and length of stay in the ICU. Design and setting: We performed a 2-year prospective study in a general me dical and surgical ICU including, exceptionally, paediatric cases. Patients: We included all patients who presented skin lesions upon admissio n or developed them during their ICU stay. Results: Forty-six patients (10% of all admissions) were enrolled, with 51 DDs. SAPS II score (43) and mean length of stay (19 days) were significantl y higher than in the general group of ICU admissions. Differences in mortal ity rates (26% versus 29%) were not statistically significant. Conclusions: DDs are entities that should be borne in mind in the criticall y ill patient; their incidence is by no means negligible and makes careful examination of the skin mandatory both on admission and during a patient's ICU stay.