Temperature and skin tolerance to applied mechanical loading

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Temperature modulation of skin tolerance to applied mechanical loading and shear

• IRAS ID

  350078

• Contact name

  Davide Filingeri

• Contact email

  D.Filingeri@soton.ac.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  University of Southampton

• Duration of Study in the UK

  1 years, 7 months, 31 days

• Research summary

  Pressure ulcers are defined as localised damaged to the skin, usually occurring near bony prominences. Two of the most common sites where pressure ulcers develop are at the sacrum (base of the spine) and at the heel. The development of a pressure ulcer occurs as a result of periods of prolonged pressure on the skin (e.g. when one is bedridden) or repeated rubbing against a hard surface (i.e. shear stress) and their development is not consigned to a particular demographic or age group, however, older individuals and those with reduced levels of mobility (e.g., spinal cord injury) are at greater risk of developing a pressure ulcer.
  It is well established that elevated temperature and humidity at the skin interface reduce its resilience and increase the likelihood of skin damage, e.g. pressure ulcers. Cooling the skin is a promising approach to increase the skin's resilience to damage induced by prolonged periods of repeated shear stress. Early animal studies showed that cooling the skin reduces the risk of developing a pressure ulcer, and this has been more recently confirmed in preliminary human studies. Yet, we still do not know enough about why and how cooling makes the skin more resilient to pressure and shear. Furthermore, cooling the skin can be uncomfortable and this can limit how acceptable the therapy is, particularly amongst vulnerable people at risk of developing pressure ulcers such as the elderly and those with a spinal cord injury. The aim of this study is to examine how localised cooling at two common sites of pressure ulcer development (the sacrum and the heel) alter the skin microvascular, inflammatory, structural, and perceptual responses to pressure and shear forces, in younger and older healthy individuals and those with a with spinal cord injury.
  

• REC name

  London - Surrey Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  24/PR/1552

• Date of REC Opinion

  14 Jan 2025

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion