Measurement decisions for clinical assessment of limb volume changes in patients with bilateral and unilateral limb edema.
OBJECTIVE
Therapy-related changes in limb volumes often are estimated using summated segmental volumes based on adjacent circumference measurements. The purposes of this study were: (1) to determine the effect of different segment lengths on calculated volume reductions after complete decongestive therapy and (2) to determine the effect of excluding posttherapy control limb volumes on calculated reductions in edema volume in patients with unilateral limb lymphedema.


METHODS
This two-part retrospective study was conducted using data from patients with bilateral leg lymphedema (n=70) and data from patients with unilateral arm lymphedema (n=75) and patients with unilateral leg lymphedema (n=45).


METHODS
For the bilateral leg lymphedema group, pretreatment to posttreatment changes in limb volume were determined using segment lengths of 4, 8, and 12 cm. For the unilateral lymphedema group, pretreatment to posttreatment changes in edema volume were determined and compared using or not using posttreatment control limb volumes.


RESULTS
Bilateral leg volume changes were similar for all segment lengths but not significantly different from each other. Unilateral edema volume changes were significantly overestimated in both arms and legs when posttherapy control limb volumes were not used.


CONCLUSIONS
The results indicate that segment lengths of 4 cm generally are not needed to obtain adequate estimates of leg volume changes. Both limb volumes should be measured to properly assess therapeutic outcomes in patients with unilateral limb lymphedema.
College of Medical Sciences, Nova Southeastern University, 3200 S University Dr, Ft Lauderdale, FL 33328, USA. mayrovit@nova.edu
Harvey N
HN
Mayrovitz
John
J
Macdonald
Suzanne
S
Davey
Kelly
K
Olson
Ezella
E
Washington
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000886:Anthropometry / Q000379:methods*; D001132:Arm; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg; D008209:Lymphedema / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009929:Organ Size; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies