1,721,004 research outputs found
The effect of washing and drying practices on skin barrier function
Get PDFPurpose: The aim of this study was to explore the potential contribution to skin damage caused by standard washing and drying techniques used in nursing.Design: An experimental cohort design was used, with healthy volunteers (n = 15) receiving 6 different washing and drying techniques to the volar aspect of the forearm. Subjects underwent 3 washing and drying techniques on each arm; each technique was repeated twice, separated by a 2-hour rest period.Methods: Skin integrity was assessed by measuring transepidermal water loss (TEWL), skin hydration, skin pH, and erythema. Comparisons were made between washing with soap or water alone, and drying using a towel (rubbing and patting) or evaporation. The significance of any difference was assessed by nonparametric analysis. The study was approved by the local research ethics committee, and all volunteers gave informed consent.Results: TEWL was seen to increase following each type of wash, and increased further following repeated washing. Drying of the skin by patting with a towel increased TEWL to give readings identical to those obtained from wet skin. There was an increase in skin pH with all washing and drying techniques, particularly when soap was used. Erythema also increased with repeated washing, particularly when soap was used. No significant changes were observed in skin hydration as measured by a corneometer, although there was a tendency for the values to decrease with washing.Conclusions: These data suggest that washing with soap and water and towel drying has a significant disrupting effect on the skin's barrier function. There is tentative evidence to suggest that a cumulative effect may exist with damage increasing as washing frequency increases. Drying the skin by patting with a towel offers no advantage to conventional gentle rubbing as it leaves the skin significantly wetter and at greater risk of frictional damage.<br/
Exploring and Developing the Evidence Base for Basic Nursing: An Outline of a Study Investigating the Role of Skin Hygiene Practices in the reduction of Skin Vulnerability
No full textThe inhibition of Bradykinin-induced Dermal inflammation by Cetirizine
No full textThis work was designed to explore the effect of cetirizine on mediator release secondary to intradermal bradykinin challenge in normal human skin.On intradermal injection, bradykinin produces a dose-dependant weal and flare response similar visually to that produced by histamine, suggesting that histamine release is involved in mediating the cutaneous response. This is further supported by the fact that premedication with cetirizine significantly inhibits both the bradykinin and histamine weal and flare. However microdialysis demonstrated that there is insignificant histamine release following bradykinin, and SLDI showed that the weal and flares produced by both histamine and bradykinin are different in nature, suggesting that other mediators, such as prostanoids or NO are involved. Although both prostanoid synthesis and NO release were observed following bradykinin, cetirizine failed to have any effect on the levels measured, suggesting that these are not the major mediators responsible for the bradykinin response.Cetirizine was shown to be able to inhibit the cutaneous responses induced by a number of agonists, namely bradykinin, histamine, and methacholine. All of these act via a specific GPCR, and each one having an alpha subunit of the Gq/11 variety. Therefore it is postulated that the bradykinin-induced weal and flare is mediated by activation of B2-kinin receptors located on sensory neurones, resulting in the release of neuropeptides, and that inhibition of this response is achieved by a direct inhibition of Gq/11 G-proteins, their regulatory proteins or modulation of a common second messenger system
Skin hygiene practices, emollient therapy and skin vulnerability
No full textDavid Voegeli, winner of the 2002 Smith and Nephew Foundation Post-doctoral Nursing Research Fellowship, outlines why more research is needed to examine the relationship between skin-care practices and emollient therapy in skin care.The promotion and maintenance of skin integrity is one of the most common challenges for nurses in every sphere of practice, but particularly for those caring for patients with chronic inflammation of the skin (such as in eczema and psoriasis), and to those at risk of skin breakdown due to immobility, circulatory disease, or incontinence. A significant amount of nursing time is spent washing patients, or assisting them to wash. However, little attention has been given to a scientific appraisal or evidence of the effectiveness of these activities
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