LESIONES CUTÁNEAS RELACIONADAS CON EL USO DE EQUIPOS DE PROTECCIÓN PERSONAL EN PROFESIONALES DE LA SALUD DURANTE LA PANDEMIA DE COVID‑19
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.66104/x4ddx668Palabras clave:
Lesión; COVID 19; SaludResumen
La pandemia de COVID‑19 exigió el uso continuo de Equipos de Protección Personal (EPP) por parte de los profesionales de la salud, una medida esencial para la prevención de infecciones, pero asociada a un aumento significativo de lesiones cutáneas, especialmente lesiones por presión (LPP). Ante este escenario, se hizo necesario comprender la magnitud y las características de estos daños. El objetivo de este estudio fue identificar las lesiones cutáneas relacionadas con el uso de EPP en profesionales de la salud durante la pandemia de COVID‑19. Se realizó una revisión integrativa en las bases PubMed y LILACS, utilizando descriptores controlados y criterios de inclusión correspondientes a los años 2020 y 2021. Tras la selección y evaluación de elegibilidad, 20 estudios compusieron la muestra final. Los resultados evidenciaron una alta prevalencia de lesiones cutáneas entre los profesionales de primera línea, con énfasis en LPP faciales, dermatitis, irritaciones, maceración y acné mecánico. Los respiradores N95, las mascarillas quirúrgicas, las gafas de protección y los delantales impermeables fueron los EPP más asociados a estos daños. Los factores de riesgo más frecuentes incluyeron tiempo de uso superior a cuatro horas, sudoración intensa, uso de EPP de nivel 3, ajuste inadecuado, sexo masculino y edad superior a 35 años. Las regiones más afectadas fueron el puente nasal, las mejillas, la frente, la región auricular y el mentón. La discusión señala que la combinación de presión mecánica, fricción, cizallamiento y humedad constituye el principal mecanismo de desarrollo de estas lesiones. Además de los impactos físicos, los daños cutáneos repercutieron en el bienestar psicológico, el desempeño profesional y el riesgo aumentado de contaminación debido al contacto frecuente con el rostro. Estrategias preventivas como el uso de barreras protectoras, pausas programadas, ajuste adecuado del EPP y el desarrollo de tecnologías más ergonómicas resultaron esenciales. Se concluye que las lesiones cutáneas relacionadas con el uso de EPP representan un importante problema de salud ocupacional durante la pandemia de COVID‑19, requiriendo acciones institucionales de prevención, educación y cuidado de la integridad cutánea de los profesionales de la salud. La protección de estos trabajadores debe incluir no solo medidas contra la infección viral, sino también estrategias que minimicen los efectos adversos del propio equipo utilizado.
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Derechos de autor 2026 Ana Gabriela do Carmo Modolon, Karina Cardoso Gulbis, Valdemira Santina Dagostin, Luciane Bisognin Ceretta, Diogo Dominguine, Liliana Maria Dimer, Neiva Junkes Hoepers, Mágada Tessmann

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