An investigation into the use of serum albumin in pressure sore prediction

Objectives To ascertain the relevance of serum albumin and serum sodium as predictors of pressure sores in addition to the Waterlow score, Design Obse rvational study of patients at risk of developing decubitus ulcers, Setting Staffordshire, in the midlands of the United Kingdom. Participants 773 eld erly hospital in-patients of a district general hospital. Measurements Wate rlow scores and serum albumin and sodium. Development of a pressure sore. R esults Logistic regression analysis of serum albumin, serum sodium and the Waterlow score showed the Waterlow score and serum albumin were significant predictors of pressure sores. Conclusions Serum albumin may, in this patie nt group (in-patients over 64 years of age), be a useful predictor of press ure sore occurrence, though further work is needed to establish whether thi s is the case. Risk assessment of pressure sores can possibly be improved b y adding serum albumin to one of the pre-existing tools such as the Waterlo w score.