Journal of clinical epidemiology
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To derive a brief bedside pressure ulcer prediction tool for patients admitted to acute care hospitals, we conducted a prospective study of first pressure ulcer incidence among 1,190 consecutive patients hospitalized in selected wards of a Swiss teaching hospital. Baseline predictors included patient age and items from the Norton and Braden ulcer prediction scales. During follow-up, 170 patients developed new pressure ulcers. ⋯ The Fragmment score (sum of friction, age, mobility, mental status) was linearly related to pressure ulcer risk, and its area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (0.80) was higher than for the Norton (0.74; P = 0.006) and Braden (0.74; P = 0.004) scores. This brief pressure ulcer prediction scale performed well in an acute care setting. Use of this scale may facilitate the implementation of pressure ulcer prevention interventions.
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Although the efficacy of implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) has been demonstrated in randomized clinical trials, implantation and survival rates have not been reported for a defined population. We performed a retrospective cohort analysis of Olmsted County, Minnesota residents (n = 70) who received their first ICD between 1 January 1989 and 31 December 1999. ⋯ Based on these data, ICDs are estimated to reduce total mortality rates in this population by 0.3%. We conclude that, in patients drawn from a community setting with AHA/ACC class I indications for ICD implantation, implantation of ICDs appears to be highly efficacious in aborting potentially fatal events.