Study Objective: To compare the effectiveness and adverse effects of air-fluidized beds and conventional therapy for patients with pressure sores.
Design: Randomized trial with both masked and unmasked comparisons of outcome after a median follow-up of 13 days (range, 4 to 77 days).
Setting: Urban, academic referral, and primary care medical center.
Patients: Of 140 potentially eligible hospitalized patients with pressure sores, 72 consented to randomization; 65 (90%) completed the study.
Interventions: Thirty-one patients on air-fluidized beds (Clinitron Therapy, Support Systems International, Inc., Charleston, South Carolina) repositioned every 4 hours from 0700h to 2300h without use of other antipressure devices.