Patient monitoring system developer Leaf Healthcare today released results from a study exploring the ability of its Leaf wearable patient sensor to prevent pressure injuries on acutely ill adults, touting that patients were 73% less likely to develop such injuries when monitored with the device.

Results from the study were published in the online issue of the International Journal of Nursing Studies, the Pleasanton, Calif.-based company said.

“This large, randomized, controlled trial confirms what has been demonstrated in smaller studies and is consistent with real-world customer experience. This study is an important step towards redefining the standard of care for pressure injury prevention,” CEO and co-founder Barrett Larson said in a press release.

Leaf’s patient monitor system is composed of a wearable wireless sensor designed to track patient movement and notify caregivers to prevent immobility-related health complications, such as pressure ulcers or injuries.

Data included information from 1,200 patients over 100,000 hours, with individuals randomized to either a control group or a treatment group in which the Leaf sensor was used to encourage patient repositioning.

Primary and secondary outcomes included the occurrence of hospital-acquired pressure injuries and turning compliance as well as a sensitivity analysis performed to compare intention-to-treat and per-protocol effects, according to the study abstract.

Results indicated that the group monitored with the Leaf sensor had significantly fewer hospital-acquired pressure injuries during intensive care unit admissions at 0.7% versus 2.3% in the control group.

Total time with turning compliance was significantly different between groups, reported to be 67% for those monitored with the Leaf versus 54% in the control group.

“Among acutely ill adult patients requiring intensive care unit admission, the provision of optimal turning was greater with a wearable patient sensor, increasing the total time with turning compliance and demonstrated a statistically significant protective effect against the development of hospital-acquired pressure injuries. These are the first quantitative data on turn quality in the intensive care unit and highlight the need to reinforce optimal turning practices. Additional clinical trials leveraging technologies like wearable sensors are needed to establish the appropriate frequency and dosing of individualized turning protocols to prevent pressure injuries in at-risk hospitalized patients,” researchers wrote.