title: Use of impedance ratios to assess hand swelling in lymphoedema.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether bioimpedance spectroscopy was suitable for detection of hand lymphoedema.
  
  
  METHODS
  The hands of 50 participants without a history of lymphoedema were measured with perometry and bioimpedance spectroscopy after positioning two ways for three minutes: (a) both hands rested at heart height and (b) the dominant hand at heart height and the non-dominant hand at head height. In addition, 10 women with secondary hand lymphoedema were also measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Impedance and volume measurements were found to be strongly related (dominant hand r = -0.794). Both measurements were reliable (ICC2,1 = 0.900-0.967 and 0.988-0.996, respectively). Impedance was more sensitive to small changes in hand volume due to the postural change (position × device interaction: F = 23.9, P < 0.001). Finally, impedance measurements had better discrimination of women with lymphoedema than volume measurements.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Bioimpedance spectroscopy is a promising tool for the detection of secondary hand lymphoedema.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: E S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Dylke
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Alsobayel
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Ward
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Webb
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Kilbreath
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D058266:Dielectric Spectroscopy; D017097:Electric Impedance; D004566:Electrodes; D005260:Female; D006225:Hand / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008209:Lymphedema / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life