Physiotherapy Applications in Upper Extremity Lipedema

Completed

• Conditions: Lipedema

• Registration Number: NCT04643392
• Lead Sponsor: Yuksek Ihtisas University

Brief Summary

Lipedema which causes excessive accumulation of fat in the subcutaneous tissue, is a rare, progressive disease. This disease generally affects women, following puberty or early adulthood and usually results in the slow increase of the circumference of the legs and/or arms, bilaterally. In a typical presentation of lipedema, the enlargement of the lower extremities is disproportionately greater than that of the trunk and upper extremities When first described in 1940, lipedema was thought to exclusively affect the lower extremities. However, as the disease has been recognized over the years, lipedema has been reported to affect the upper extremities. Upper extremity lipedema, with no involvement of the lower extremities is an extremely rare incident.

Detailed Description

Due to the hypertrophy in adipose tissue, the link between lymphatic dysfunction and the progression to lipo-lymphedema, lipedema is conservatively treated with physiotherapy, manual lymph drainage and compression, also known as complex decongestive physiotherapy. Furthermore, the consensus of the International Society of Lymphology has stated that intermittent pneumatic compression is an optional treatment which may be applied as an adjuvant therapy to complex decongestive physiotherapy. All participants included in the study were included in a treatment protocol consisting of complex decongestive physiotherapy and intermittent pneumatic compression. The Perometer was used in the measurement of upper extremity volume and circumference before and after treatment.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2019-09-02
• Primary Completion: 2020-02-03
• Study Completion: 2020-05-04
• Status Verified: 2020-11
• Study First Submitted: 2020-11-18
• Study First Submitted QC: 2020-11-18
• Last Update Submitted: 2020-11-18
• Study First Posted: 2020-11-25
• Last Update Posted: 2020-11-25

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: Female
• Target Recruitment: 14

Inclusion Criteria

• being between the ages of 18-65,
• having a diagnosis of upper extremity lipedema
• being willing to participate in the study

Exclusion Criteria

• accompanying diagnosis of lymphedema,
• deep vein thrombosis
• disease which causes edema in the upper extremities

Study & Design

• Study Type: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Design: Not specified

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Limb Volume	Change from baseline volume at 4 weeks	For every patient, the volume measurements of the upper limbs were measured with the Perometer.
Limb Circumference	Change from baseline circumference at 4 weeks	For every patient, the circumference measurements of the upper limbs were measured with the Perometer.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Yuksek Ihtisas University; 🇹🇷 Ankara, Turkey