title: Reliability and reproducibility of a clinical application of a simple technique for repeated circumferential leg measurements.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study is to determine the reliability and reproducibility of repeated tape measurements to assess the leg circumference during a long period.
  
  
  METHODS
  A tape measure is a simple instrument that is applicable in the presence of oedema. Measurements were performed by four observers on 11 volunteers. Four measurements were done in the first week (short term), a fifth measurement at two weeks (medium term) and a sixth measurement was done at 12 weeks (long term).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The short-, medium- and long-term intra-class correlation coefficients for repeated measurements were 0.90, 0.89 and 0.78, respectively. The short-term and long-term reproducibility indices equalled 4.4% and 6.5%. If only a single observer would be involved, the short-term intra-class correlation coefficients would improve to 0.94 (reproducibility index 3.3%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Tape measurements have been proved to be a reliable and reproducible method to asses the lower limb circumference.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Amphia Hospital, Breda, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: te Slaa
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mulder
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dolmans
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Castenmiller
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: van der Laan
mesh_terms: D004487:Edema / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013997:Time Factors