Bedside Evaluation of Edema — EDEMA  

Edema Clinical Trial

Official title: A Simple Technique for Quantitative Evaluation of an Important Clinical Sign

Status Terminated

Clinical Trial Summary

Edema, commonly called swelling, is a common medical condition, with many causes. Clinicians generally find edema by pressing against a patient's skin, usually on the feet or shins, and observing how much dimpling there is in the skin. Most clinicians estimate the amount on a scale of mild to severe, or perhaps state the amount as 1 to 4. There is little agreement between observers, and it is hard to judge different clinicians' use of these scales. The first part of this experiment will demonstrate this inconsistency. After clinicians are shown a new technique for measuring edema, the second part of the study will show more accurate and consistent measurements. This will help clinicians to measure edema better, and to communicate their findings to other clinicians more effectively.

Clinical Trial Description

The research team will recruit as many clinicians who are conveniently available for the study. Clinicians will include attending physicians from any specialty, residents, medical students, physician assistants, physician assistant students, nurses, certified nurse practitioners, and certified nurse practitioner students.

Once patients and clinicians have been recruited, the research team will maintain a list of the patients and a grid of which clinicians are to examine which patients. Each clinician will be given a data collection sheet, listing the patients' room numbers, and a grid for recording results for each of the patient's affected limb(s). The first data collection sheet (before instruction on the quantitative method) will just show a blank free text field so that clinicians can record their results as they normally do.

After instruction in the novel quantitative technique, the clinicians will receive another data collection sheet now indicating the intent to have the clinicians record their findings in millimeters.

The expectation is that a minimum of 6 examiners will determine the extent of edema on at least 38 limbs. If possible, the research will continue until approximately 100 limbs have been examined by a total of at least 10 to 20 clinicians. ;

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Edema

• NCT number: NCT03296085
• Study type: Observational
• Source: Geisinger Clinic
• Status: Terminated
• Start date: November 30, 2017
• Completion date: December 30, 2022