Table 1.

Significant variables used in predicting venous leg ulcer healing

Variable
Beginning wound area in cm2
Caregiver encounter ending with patient sent to emergency department or hospital
Patient chronological age at first encounter
Mobility of patient at arrival; patient bed bound at arrival
Mobility of patient at arrival; patient in wheelchair
Mobility of patient at arrival; patient able to ambulate
Number of wounds or ulcers that started previous to or concurrent with the index wound, but existed on the patient during the timeframe the index wound was being treated
Patient was said to be malnourished if he/she had an ICD-9 code of the form 263.XX, 262.XX, or 995.84, Braden nutrition 1 or 2, or a BMI <18.5
Insulin-dependent diabetes was present if patient was said to be on any of the following medications: insulin, Humalog, Humulin, insulin pump, Lantus, Lente, Levimir, or Novolog; or patient had an ICD-code of the form 250.XX
The number of days from wound onset to the first encounter date
Signs of inflammation and/or infection in the wound as indicated by the words milky, purulent, green, or malodorous describing wound exudates or the words indurated, edematous, tender to palpation, warm to touch, or erythematous describing the periwound area.

Nonsignificant bivariate variables included: sex, patient is paralyzed, wound location, history of autoimmune disease, patient resides in nursing home or skilled nursing facility, patient has dementia or Alzheimer's, and patient has renal failure.

The variables are mutually exclusive and are positive for the worst condition during the wound episode (whole course of care model). A second set of variables was created for use in the first encounter model based on mobility at first encounter arrival.

ICD-9, International Classification of Diseases, 9th edition; BMI, body mass index.