School of Health Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.
School of Nursing and David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), USA.
J Tissue Viability. 2021 Aug;30(3):434-438. doi: 10.1016/j.jtv.2021.04.003. Epub 2021 Apr 19.
Technologies have been developed to monitor changes in dermal oedema, indicative of the early signs of pressure ulcers. However, there is limited information on the effects of regional differences in tissue morphology on these sub-epidermal moisture (SEM) parameters. This study was designed to investigate the absolute SEM readings across different anatomical sites using a commercial device.
Twenty-four healthy participants were recruited to evaluate basal SEM values at different bony prominences, sampled by an experienced operator.
Distinct differences were observed in unloaded SEM values across different anatomical sites, notably between the upper and lower extremities. A high degree of variability was observed in particular sites, such as the heels. Moreover, SEM values at certain locations revealed significant relationships with age, BMI and gender (p < 0.05).
The study revealed a high level of variability between and within anatomical sites in a healthy cohort of participants. Determining the changes in local skin and sub-dermal tissue status using SEM may require consideration of both site specific and individual demographic factors, with further research needed in cohorts at risk of pressure ulcers.
已经开发出技术来监测皮肤水肿的变化，这是压疮早期迹象的指标。然而，关于组织形态学的区域差异对这些表皮下水分（SEM）参数的影响，信息有限。本研究旨在使用商业设备研究不同解剖部位的绝对 SEM 读数。
招募了 24 名健康参与者，由经验丰富的操作人员在不同的骨性突出部位评估基础 SEM 值。
在不同解剖部位的未加载 SEM 值上观察到明显差异，特别是在上肢和下肢之间。在某些部位，如脚跟，观察到高度的变异性。此外，某些部位的 SEM 值与年龄、BMI 和性别呈显著相关（p<0.05）。
该研究在健康参与者的队列中揭示了不同解剖部位之间和内部的高度变异性。使用 SEM 确定局部皮肤和皮下组织状态的变化可能需要考虑特定部位和个体人口统计学因素，在有压疮风险的队列中需要进一步研究。
