title: Influence of arm crank ergometry on development of lymphedema in breast cancer patients after axillary dissection: A randomized controlled trail.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the safety and efficacy of arm crank ergometry in breast cancer patients after axillary lymph node dissection, with regard to changes in bioelectrical impedance analysis, arm circumference, muscular strength, quality of life and fatigue.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomized controlled clinical intervention trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-nine patients with breast cancer after axillary lymph node dissection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Arm crank ergometer training twice-weekly was compared with usual care over 12 weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The arm crank ergometer group improved significantly in terms of lean body mass and skeletal muscle mass, and showed a significant decrease in body fat. In the arm crank ergometer group, as well as the usual care group, a significant increase in armpit circumference was detected during the training period. The magnitude of the gain was higher in the usual care group. For all other measured regions of the arm a significant decrease in circumference was seen in both groups. Muscular strength of the upper extremity increased significantly in both groups, with a greater improvement in the arm crank ergometer group. In both groups a non-significant trend towards improvement in quality of life was observed. The arm crank ergometer group showed significant improvements in physical functioning, general fatigue and physical fatigue.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results confirm the feasibility of arm crank ergometer training after axillary lymph node dissection and highlight improvements in strength, quality of life and reduced arm symptoms with this training.
authors.affiliation: Breast Unit, Comprehensive Cancer Center North, University of Kiel, Arnold-Heller-Str. 3, DE- 24105 Kiel, Germany. E-mail: thorsten.schmidt@uksh.de.
authors.forename: Thorsten
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: Jette
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Berner
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jonat
authors.forename: Burkhard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Weisser
authors.forename: Christioph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Röcken
authors.forename: Marion
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: van Mackelenbergh
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mundhenke
mesh_terms: D001132:Arm; D001365:Axilla / Q000473:pathology*; D000072656:Breast Cancer Lymphedema / Q000628:therapy*; D016552:Ergometry / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life