TY - JOUR
T1 - The effect of absorbent pad design on skin wetness, skin/Pad microclimate, and skin barrier function
T2 - A Quasi-experimental open cohort study
AU - Koudounas, Sofoklis
AU - Abbas, Shabira
AU - Voegeli, David
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 Lippincott Williams and Wilkins. All rights reserved.
PY - 2020/9/1
Y1 - 2020/9/1
N2 - PURPOSE: The main aims of this study were to describe the effects of incontinence pad composition on skin wetness, the skin/pad microclimate, and skin barrier function. We also evaluated the potential utility of our methods for future clinical investigation of absorbent pad design. DESIGN: Single-blind, quasi-experimental, open cohort design. SUBJECTS AND SETTING: Twenty healthy older volunteers (mean age = 72.8 years, SD = 5.8 years; 8 male and 12 female) tested 2 absorbent pad types, with acquisition layers of different compositions (A and B) applied to different sites on the volar aspect of the forearms. One type A pad served as control (A dry) versus 3 pad samples wetted with 3 volumes of saline (A 15 mL, A 35 mL, and B 15 mL). The study was conducted within the clinical laboratory of a university nursing research group in the United Kingdom. METHODS: Skin barrier function was assessed by measuring transepidermal water loss (TEWL), stratum corneum (SC) hydration by corneometry, and skin surface pH using a standard skin pH electrode. Skin water loading (excess water penetration into the skin) was quantified by measuring TEWL and creating a desorption curve of the water vapor flux density. Calculating the area under the curve of the desorption curve to give skin surface water loss reflected excess water penetration into the skin. In a subgroup of the sample, the temperature and relative humidity (microclimate) at the interface between the skin and test pads were measured using a wafer-thin sensor placed between the skin and pad sample. Proinflammatory cytokine release from the SC was assessed using a noninvasive lipophilic film. The main outcome measures in this study were the differences in biophysical measurements of skin barrier function (TEWL, corneometer, and pH) before and after the application of the different pads. RESULTS: Mean ± SD baseline TEWL across all test sites was 10.4 ± 4.4 g/h/m2. This increased to 10.6 ± 3.8 g/h/m2 at the control site, 15.3 ± 6.3 g/h/m2 for the A 15-mL pad, 15.3 ± 3.9 g/h/m2 for the A 35-mL pad, and 15.6 ± 3.2 g/h/m2 for the B 15-mL pad. The mean baseline skin surface pH was 5.9 ± 0.04; cutaneous pH increased to a mean of 6.1 ± 0.06 following all pad applications (P =.16). Mean SC hydration remained unchanged at the control site (A dry). In contrast, SC hydration increased following the application of all wetted pads. Target cytokines were detected in all samples we analyzed. The IL-1RA/IL-1α ratio increased following pad application, except for the wettest pad. CONCLUSION: Study findings suggest that absorbent pad design and composition, particularly the acquisition layer, affect performance and may influence skin health. Based on our experience with this study, we believe the methods we used provide a simple and objective means to evaluate product performance that could be used to guide the future development of products and applied to clinical settings.
AB - PURPOSE: The main aims of this study were to describe the effects of incontinence pad composition on skin wetness, the skin/pad microclimate, and skin barrier function. We also evaluated the potential utility of our methods for future clinical investigation of absorbent pad design. DESIGN: Single-blind, quasi-experimental, open cohort design. SUBJECTS AND SETTING: Twenty healthy older volunteers (mean age = 72.8 years, SD = 5.8 years; 8 male and 12 female) tested 2 absorbent pad types, with acquisition layers of different compositions (A and B) applied to different sites on the volar aspect of the forearms. One type A pad served as control (A dry) versus 3 pad samples wetted with 3 volumes of saline (A 15 mL, A 35 mL, and B 15 mL). The study was conducted within the clinical laboratory of a university nursing research group in the United Kingdom. METHODS: Skin barrier function was assessed by measuring transepidermal water loss (TEWL), stratum corneum (SC) hydration by corneometry, and skin surface pH using a standard skin pH electrode. Skin water loading (excess water penetration into the skin) was quantified by measuring TEWL and creating a desorption curve of the water vapor flux density. Calculating the area under the curve of the desorption curve to give skin surface water loss reflected excess water penetration into the skin. In a subgroup of the sample, the temperature and relative humidity (microclimate) at the interface between the skin and test pads were measured using a wafer-thin sensor placed between the skin and pad sample. Proinflammatory cytokine release from the SC was assessed using a noninvasive lipophilic film. The main outcome measures in this study were the differences in biophysical measurements of skin barrier function (TEWL, corneometer, and pH) before and after the application of the different pads. RESULTS: Mean ± SD baseline TEWL across all test sites was 10.4 ± 4.4 g/h/m2. This increased to 10.6 ± 3.8 g/h/m2 at the control site, 15.3 ± 6.3 g/h/m2 for the A 15-mL pad, 15.3 ± 3.9 g/h/m2 for the A 35-mL pad, and 15.6 ± 3.2 g/h/m2 for the B 15-mL pad. The mean baseline skin surface pH was 5.9 ± 0.04; cutaneous pH increased to a mean of 6.1 ± 0.06 following all pad applications (P =.16). Mean SC hydration remained unchanged at the control site (A dry). In contrast, SC hydration increased following the application of all wetted pads. Target cytokines were detected in all samples we analyzed. The IL-1RA/IL-1α ratio increased following pad application, except for the wettest pad. CONCLUSION: Study findings suggest that absorbent pad design and composition, particularly the acquisition layer, affect performance and may influence skin health. Based on our experience with this study, we believe the methods we used provide a simple and objective means to evaluate product performance that could be used to guide the future development of products and applied to clinical settings.
KW - Absorbent incontinence products
KW - Absorbent pads
KW - Cytokines
KW - Humidity
KW - Incontinence-associated dermatitis
KW - Incontinent pads
KW - Microclimate
KW - Product design
KW - Product evaluation
KW - Skin barrier
KW - Skin health
KW - Temperature
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85091651561&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1097/WON.0000000000000684
DO - 10.1097/WON.0000000000000684
M3 - Article
C2 - 32970034
AN - SCOPUS:85091651561
VL - 47
SP - 497
EP - 506
JO - Journal of Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nursing
JF - Journal of Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nursing
SN - 1071-5754
IS - 5
ER -