Table 3.
Variables allowed in regression models and p-values in bivariate analyses of healed versus not healed (n = 11,773 venous leg ulcers)
| Variablea | In Final Regression Models | p-value |
|---|---|---|
| Infection/Bioburden | Yes | (−)<0.001 |
| Patient admitted for acute hospital stay | Yes | (−)<0.001 |
| First Wound Area (−: healed wound associated with smaller area) | Yes | (−)<0.001 |
| Patient age at first treatment (−: healed wound associated with younger age, +: nonhealed wound associated with older age) | No | (+)0.030 |
| Patient has insulin dependent diabetes | Yes | (+)<0.001 |
| Mobility of patients at arrival–bed bound vs. wheelchair or able to ambulate | Yes | (−)<0.001 |
| Peripheral vascular disease-severeb | No | (−)0.039 |
| Wound Age at first encounter | Yes | (−)<0.001 |
| Previous or concurrent other wounds or ulcers (−: healed wound associated with fewer other wounds) | Yes | (−)<0.001 |
| Worst Braden Score (+: healed wounds associated with higher score) | No | (+)0.006 |
| Braden Malnutrition (+: healed wounds associated with higher score) | No | (+)0.010 |
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.
Peripheral vascular disease and its severity were defined by scanning eight different database tables containing initial and follow-up examination information, medical history, surgery summaries, nursing assessments, and comorbid conditions for the following words or word segments: claudication, gangrene, rest pain, and the association of the words “peripheral” and “ischemia” or “leg.” Patients were also considered to have peripheral arterial disease, as indicated by any ICD-9 CM diagnosis (codes 440.23, 440.24, 443, or 444.2), or it was indicated in the structured field of “secondary diagnosis” in the EHR.