Physiotherapy Applications in Upper Extremity Lipedema

Lipedema Clinical Trial

Official title:

The Effects of Complex Decongestive Physiotherapy Applications on Upper Extremity Circumference and Volume in Patients With Lipedema

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT04643392
• Other study ID #: YIU
• Status: Completed
• Start date: September 2, 2019
• Est. completion date: May 4, 2020

Study information

• Verified date: November 2020
• Source: Yuksek Ihtisas University
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Observational [Patient Registry]

Clinical Trial 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.

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.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 14
• Est. completion date: May 4, 2020
• Est. primary completion date: February 3, 2020
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: Female
• Age group: 18 Years to 65 Years

Eligibility

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

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Lipedema

Intervention

Procedure:
• Complex decongestive physiotherapy
Each patient received a treatment protocol of Complex decongestive physiotherapy for 5 days a week until they were discharged from the clinic. All patients fully completed all components of the treatment routine daily. The treatment was performed by a physiotherapist who was certified with Manual Lymph Drainage Combined Decongestive Physiotherapy. After the daily treatment protocol was completed, patients wore standard or individually sized compression grade II or III medical compression stockings for the rest of the day.

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
Turkey	Yuksek Ihtisas University	Ankara

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Yuksek Ihtisas University

Country where clinical trial is conducted

Turkey, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Limb Circumference	For every patient, the circumference measurements of the upper limbs were measured with the Perometer.	Change from baseline circumference at 4 weeks
Primary	Limb Volume	For every patient, the volume measurements of the upper limbs were measured with the Perometer.	Change from baseline volume at 4 weeks