Is the Waterlow Score a Predictor for Mortality in Medical Admissions?
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Is the Waterlow Score a predictor for mortality and morbidity in acutely admitted medical patients?
IRAS ID
145846
Contact name
James W Wang
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust
Research summary
The Waterlow score is a national tool calculated from a combination of age, nutritional status, weight, mobility, sex, smoking status, co-morbidities, use of medications and continence to derive a single numerical figure used by nursing staff at point of admission as well as subsequently to guide the use of pressure-relieving mattresses for inpatients at risk of developing pressure ulcers.
This study aims to look at the link between this score which and compare it to length of hospital stay and mortality at 30 days. Many of the parameters used in the Waterlow score already form the basis of mortality calculations, such as the Charlson co-morbidity index. We hope to add utility to the Waterlow, which is already being used nationally in the NHS, by seeing if it is able to predict morbidity and mortality whereby guiding overall resource management.
The way the study aims to do so is by following 1000 consecutive acute medical admissions to the Lister Hospital and following them up with regards to their length of stay as well as their 30-day mortality. The study will also collect ancillary data such as biochemistry as well as cause of death, in order to correct for any initial misdiagnoses as well as standardise against independent markers of morbidity and mortality.
REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - Bradford Leeds Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/YH/0074
Date of REC Opinion
1 Apr 2014
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion