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Statement of the European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel —pressure ulcer classification: differentiation between pressure ulcers and moisture lesions

Statement of the European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel —pressure ulcer classification: differentiation between pressure ulcers and moisture lesions
Statement of the European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel —pressure ulcer classification: differentiation between pressure ulcers and moisture lesions
A pressure ulcer is an area of localized damage to the skin and underlying tissue caused by pressure or shear and/or a combination of these.
The identification of pressure damage is an essential and integral part of clinical practice and pressure ulcer research. Pressure ulcer classification is a method of determining the severity of a pressure ulcer and is also used to distinguish pressure ulcers from other skin lesions. A classification system describes a series of numbered grades or stages, each determining a different degree of
tissue damage.
The European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (EPUAP) defined 4 different pressure ulcer grades (Table 1).1 Nonblanchable erythema is a sign that pressure and shear are causing tissue damage and that preventive measures should be taken without delay to prevent the development of pressure ulcer lesions (Grade 2, 3, or 4).
The diagnosis of the existence of a pressure ulcer is more difficult than one commonly assumes. There is often confusion between a pressure ulcer and a lesion that is caused by the presence of moisture, for example, because of incontinence of urine and/or feces. Differentiation between the two is clinically important, because prevention and treatment strategies differ largely and the consequences of the outcome for the patient are imminently important.
This statement on pressure ulcer classification is limited to the differentiation between pressure ulcers and moisture lesions. Obviously, there are numerous other lesions that might be misclassified as a pressure ulcer (eg, leg ulcer and diabetic foot). Experience has shown that because of their location, moisture lesions are the ones most often misclassified as pressure ulcers. 2-3
Wound-related characteristics (causes, location, shape, depth, edges, and color), along with patient-related characteristics, are helpful to differentiate between a pressure ulcer and a moisture lesion.
1071-5754
302-306
Defloor, T.
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Schoonhoven, Lisette
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Fletcher, J.
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Furtado, K.
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Heyman, H.
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Lubbers, M.
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Witherow, A.
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Bale, S.
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Bellingeri, A.
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Cherry, G.
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Clark, M.
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Colin, D.
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Dassen, T.
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Dealey, C.
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Gulasci, L.
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Haalboom, J.
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Halfens, R.
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Hietanen, H.
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Lindholm, C.
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Moore, Z.
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Romanelli, M.
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Soriano, J.
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Doughty, D.
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Defloor, T.
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Schoonhoven, Lisette
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Fletcher, J.
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Furtado, K.
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Heyman, H.
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Lubbers, M.
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Witherow, A.
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Bale, S.
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Bellingeri, A.
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Cherry, G.
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Clark, M.
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Colin, D.
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Dassen, T.
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Dealey, C.
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Gulasci, L.
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Haalboom, J.
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Halfens, R.
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Hietanen, H.
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Lindholm, C.
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Moore, Z.
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Romanelli, M.
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Soriano, J.
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Doughty, D.
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Defloor, T., Schoonhoven, Lisette, Fletcher, J., Furtado, K., Heyman, H., Lubbers, M., Witherow, A., Bale, S., Bellingeri, A., Cherry, G., Clark, M., Colin, D., Dassen, T., Dealey, C., Gulasci, L., Haalboom, J., Halfens, R., Hietanen, H., Lindholm, C., Moore, Z., Romanelli, M. and Soriano, J. , Doughty, D. (ed.) (2005) Statement of the European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel —pressure ulcer classification: differentiation between pressure ulcers and moisture lesions. Journal of Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nursing, 32 (5), 302-306. (PMID:16234722)

Record type: Article

Abstract

A pressure ulcer is an area of localized damage to the skin and underlying tissue caused by pressure or shear and/or a combination of these.
The identification of pressure damage is an essential and integral part of clinical practice and pressure ulcer research. Pressure ulcer classification is a method of determining the severity of a pressure ulcer and is also used to distinguish pressure ulcers from other skin lesions. A classification system describes a series of numbered grades or stages, each determining a different degree of
tissue damage.
The European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (EPUAP) defined 4 different pressure ulcer grades (Table 1).1 Nonblanchable erythema is a sign that pressure and shear are causing tissue damage and that preventive measures should be taken without delay to prevent the development of pressure ulcer lesions (Grade 2, 3, or 4).
The diagnosis of the existence of a pressure ulcer is more difficult than one commonly assumes. There is often confusion between a pressure ulcer and a lesion that is caused by the presence of moisture, for example, because of incontinence of urine and/or feces. Differentiation between the two is clinically important, because prevention and treatment strategies differ largely and the consequences of the outcome for the patient are imminently important.
This statement on pressure ulcer classification is limited to the differentiation between pressure ulcers and moisture lesions. Obviously, there are numerous other lesions that might be misclassified as a pressure ulcer (eg, leg ulcer and diabetic foot). Experience has shown that because of their location, moisture lesions are the ones most often misclassified as pressure ulcers. 2-3
Wound-related characteristics (causes, location, shape, depth, edges, and color), along with patient-related characteristics, are helpful to differentiate between a pressure ulcer and a moisture lesion.

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Published date: September 2005
Organisations: Faculty of Health Sciences

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 339745
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/339745
ISSN: 1071-5754
PURE UUID: 1645931d-ede1-424c-b1a7-030e1b2f73a8
ORCID for Lisette Schoonhoven: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-7129-3766

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Date deposited: 30 May 2012 10:25
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 03:41

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Contributors

Author: T. Defloor
Author: J. Fletcher
Author: K. Furtado
Author: H. Heyman
Author: M. Lubbers
Author: A. Witherow
Author: S. Bale
Author: A. Bellingeri
Author: G. Cherry
Author: M. Clark
Author: D. Colin
Author: T. Dassen
Author: C. Dealey
Author: L. Gulasci
Author: J. Haalboom
Author: R. Halfens
Author: H. Hietanen
Author: C. Lindholm
Author: Z. Moore
Author: M. Romanelli
Author: J. Soriano
Editor: D. Doughty

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