Is preoperative Albumin Alone a Predictor of 30-Day Outcomes in Pressure Ulcer Patients : A Matched Propensity-Score Analysis of the 2006-2011 NSQIP Datasets?
It is generally understood that hypoalbuminemic patients have elevated risks for surgical procedures. In pressure ulcer patients, it appears that these risks are not due to hypoalbuminemia alone, but rather a long list of attendant comorbidities. Consequently, hypoalbuminemia alone should not be used to determine the timing of a procedure for pressure ulcer surgery. Knowledge of these risks is necessary for patient counseling and surgical planning in this population.
Anti-ETAR autoantibodies can be used together with the presence of current or past DU to identify patients with SSc who are at risk for the development of subsequent DU. These autoantibodies may allow for earlier management and therapeutic intervention.