An observational study in Lymphedema Arm and Lymphedema; Surgical, sponsored by Ege University. Completed at 1 site in Turkey. Open to female participants aged 18 Years to 70 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2019-05-10.
Sponsored by Ege University · Observational
This study aims to find whether complete decongestive therapy used in breast cancer-related lymphedema has an effect on muscle strength in the affected arm, while assessing the efficacy of the therapy itself. 74 patients with breast cancer related lymphedema were included in this study. Patients were taken their demographic and clinical history and were evaluated with measurements of extremity volumes and hand grip strengths using a hand dynamometer before and after the complete decongestive therapy. Data were then assessed using relevant statistical methods.
561 studies on the registry are indexed under Lymphedema; 136 are open to participants now.
This study's enrollment of 74 is below the median of 106 across 144 observational studies indexed under Lymphedema.
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Patients between 18-70 years old with a history of mastectomy or breast conserving surgery and lymphedema
Exclusion Criteria:
All patients were included in the complete decongestive therapy programme. This therapy includes patient education, skin care, exercises, manual lymphatic drainage (self), and compression bandage therapy.
Other: Complete Decongestion Therapy
It is given in two phases. First phase includes intensive therapy which aims to reduce the volume of the extremity. Second phase aims to preserve these reductions of volume. All patients were prescribed lymphedema specific exercises and were advised to walk (for 30 minutes everyday) daywhile taking complete decongestive therapy. They were specifically informed that exercise does not aggravate the severity of their lymphedema. Short stretch bandages were applied to the patients with self manual lymphatic drainage. Intensive phase was given 5 days a week, and short stretch bandages applied for 23 hours a day with 1 hour interval. To increase the local pressure on the areas required, foams were added. Patients were screened with arm circumferential measurements once a week. After gaining a plateau in the volumes, patients were prescribed compression garments.
Hand grip strength
Hand grip strength: Hand grip strength was measured using JAMAR® hand dynamometer. It has been used to assess hand grip strength in many studies over half a century. Patients were asked to sit down with shoulder adducted, elbow flexed (90°) and forearm in the neutral position. Mean of the 3 measurements taken with 1 minute apart from each other was recorded. Patients' measurements were taken for both affected and unaffected arm, and recorded as kgf.
Time frame: 3 weeks
Extremity volume
Volume measurements were taken using ulnar styloid process as a index point, and circumferential measurements were taken with 5 cm spaces from distal to the proximal. Using a computer programme (Limb Volumes Professional version 5.0), the total volume of the arm was calculated and recorded before and after the treatment for both arms. All patients' measurements were taken by the same researcher.
Time frame: 3 weeks
Plan to share: No
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This study is completed, as verified in May 2019. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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Ege University