The Effect Pomegranate Seed Oil Prevention and Progression Pressure Ulcers in Intensive Care Patients

Pressure sores are an important health problem that can be seen at any age and in any environment where care is provided, especially in intensive care units. It is a problem that can frequently develop especially in people who are bedridden for long periods of time and have acute or chronic diseases. While the incidence of pressure ulcers in hospitals is 10-23%, this rate has been reported to be 8.1%-41% in intensive care units. In Turkey, the incidence of pressure ulcers in patients receiving mechanical ventilation treatment for at least 24 hours was found to be 17% and 15.5% in intensive care units.

It is an important problem that requires long-term care and treatment after the development of a pressure sore, prolongs the duration of hospitalization, has high treatment and care costs, and increases morbidity. In a systematic review , it was stated that pressure sore treatment, in addition to normal treatment, increased the per capita cost of care between 2.65 € and 87.57 € per day. According to data published in the National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (NPUAP) in 2016, it has been reported that the frequency of pressure ulcers in the United States is between 1.3-3 million and its annual cost is around 2.2-3.6 billion dollars. When the situation in pressure sores in our country is examined, it was determined that the average number of patients with pressure sores annually is 2.5 million and the annual cost of these patients to the country is 11.5 billion dollars.

The care provided due to developing pressure sores increases the burden of healthcare professionals and makes it difficult to achieve the desired quality of care. It also brings an extra financial burden to care institutions. Studies have found that pressure ulcer development increases the cost of nursing care.

Pressure sores also cause pain, infection, etc. in patients. It leads to the development of serious problems, deterioration in comfort and a significant decrease in the quality of life. To prevent all this, in recent years, various initiatives have been undertaken in clinical areas to prevent pressure sores and heal wounds, mainly based on the application of evidence-based guidelines. According to studies, it has been determined that different methods are used for the prevention and healing of pressure sores. In experimental or quasi-experimental studies conducted according to different methods, it was found that the development of pressure sores was not affected and in other studies it was found that it did not provide an effective change in prevalence but reduced the incidence. A study on the prevention of pressure sores, pressure-relieving mattresses and planned repositioning, anodal and cathodal-anodal electrical stimulation in category II-IV pressure sores, chronic The effects of negative pressure vacuum-assisted closure technology on the rapid healing of wounds were examined. Again, such as the effect of laser treatment on angiography, fibrogenic factors and cytokine concentrations during the healing process of pressure sores and stem cell therapy in skin wound healing methods were used. However, no definitive method to treat and prevent pressure sores has been discovered so far.

The use of complementary medicines, including medicinal plants, has long been recommended in this regard. Recent approaches in medicine recommend its use in the prevention and treatment of diseases because it has fewer side effects, and it is welcomed by patients. In a study examining the effect of olive oil on preventing pressure sores in bedridden patients, it was determined that the use of olive oil could be an effective method.

Assessment and care of the skin is important in preventing pressure sores. Dry skin is very effective in the development of pressure sores. In another study, aloe vera gel was applied to patients at risk of developing pressure sores in orthopedic clinics. No symptoms such as increased temperature, redness or swelling were observed in the areas where aloe vera gel was applied. Therefore, it can be applied to prevent pressure sores. Smooth skin is more resistant to external pressures.

Pomegranate seed oil is very rich in conjugated fatty acids (linoleic and linolenic fatty acids). It is reported that pomegranate seed oil is effective in preventing prostate and skin cancer and reducing lipid levels in the liver. Pomegranate seed oil, which has a very high vitamin E content, is also rich in antioxidant polyphenols. In a study conducted with vitamin E, it was found to be effective in oral mucositis preventive and therapeutic oral care practices.

In addition to these effects, pomegranate seed oil is one of the rare products that contain conjugated fatty acids. In a randomized controlled study examining the effect of pomegranate seed oil supplementation on Glucose transporter type 4 (GLUT-4) gene expression and glycemic control in obese people with type 2 diabetes, it was found to significantly increase Glucose transporter type 4 (GLUT-4) gene expression . In a study examining the effect of pomegranate seed oil on serum Tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) level in dyslipidemic patients, it was found that orally administered pomegranate seed oil did not affect serum Tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) level in patients with dyslipidemia. In another study examining the effect of pomegranate seed oil on hyperlipidemic subjects, it was found that oral pomegranate seed oil given for 4 weeks had a positive effect on the lipid levels of the patients. As can be seen, although the effectiveness of pomegranate seed oil has been investigated in many subjects in the literature review, there is no study examining its effectiveness in preventing and healing wound development.

The aim of this study is to examine the effect of topical pomegranate seed oil application on pressure ulcer development and progression.