An interventional study of TECAR therapy and compression in Lipedema, sponsored by Ankara City Hospital Bilkent. Completed at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye). Open to female participants aged 18 Years to 60 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2025-07-30.
Sponsored by Ankara City Hospital Bilkent · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
Among 41 studies in Lipedema with a site in Turkey — 18 open to participants now, 19 under way, none of them phase 3. Lipedema · Turkey.
Among the 41 studies in Lipedema with a site in Turkey, this one is the 11th largest by enrollment of the 14 interventional ones that give a count, is one of 4 that started in 2024, is one of 14 with no phase, and was the 16th registered.
85 studies on the registry are indexed under Lipedema; 32 are open to participants now.
This study's enrollment of 30 is below the median of 35 across 42 interventional studies indexed under Lipedema.
Browse Lipedema studies →18 of the 41 studies in Lipedema with a site in Turkey are open now, in 1 country. Each count lists the studies.
Of the 19 Lipedema studies recruiting now, 3 (16%) set no upper age limit and 16 (84%) stop at 75 or younger; 0 take children under 18; 4 take healthy volunteers.
This study: 18 Years to 60 Years · female · no healthy volunteers.
The full table on the hub →41 studies; the count open now beside each. This study's row is marked.
First in 2019; this study’s year is marked. 4 started in 2024.
Median enrollment 37 across the 14 interventional studies, 76 across the 27 observational. Of the 22 that completed or were terminated, 0 (0%) have results posted.
None of the 41 has an industry lead sponsor. The 10 most frequent:
Ankara City Hospital Bilkent is the lead sponsor of 443 studies on the registry; 111 are open to participants now.
Ankara City Hospital Bilkent has 1 study filed under Lipedema — fewer than ten, so there is no comparison to draw.
10 of the studies in Lipedema with a site in Turkey that are under way reach primary completion within a year, 0 of them phase 3. Phase 3 first, then by date:
| Study | Primary completion |
|---|---|
| NCT07878299Sultan Abdulhamid Han Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, TurkeyComparison of Segmental Body Composition Characteristics in Lipedema and Obesity | 2026-11-20 |
| NCT07683559Atlas UniversityExtracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy in Patients With Lipedema | 2026-12-01 |
| NCT07919574Hatice Zehra FERHATLAREffectiveness of Kinesio Taping as an Adjunct to Conservative Treatment in Women With Lipedema | 2027-01-15 |
| NCT07803926Merve SEVINC GUNDUZManual and Self-Lymphatic Drainage Combined With Exercise in Women With Lipedema | 2027-01-20 |
| NCT07468097Marmara UniversityThe Impact of Metabolic Status on Pain and Central Sensitization in Women With Lipedema: A Cross-Sectional Observational Study | 2027-02-01 |
Among the 41 studies in Lipedema with a site in Turkey, from their registry updates:
The physicians wanted to show the efficacy of a physical therapy device, Transfer Energy Capacitive and Resistive (TECAR) therapy, in women with lipedema which is an abnormal fat buildup on both sides of lower body. They focused on lower limb circumference, pain, functional capacity, and quality of life.
This study aimed to evaluate the clinical efficacy of Transfer Energy Capacitive and Resistive (TECAR) therapy in women with Stage 2 lipedema, focusing on limb circumference, pain, functional status, and quality of life.
A prospective, randomized controlled trial was conducted with 30 female patients diagnosed with Stage 2 lipedema. Participants were randomized to a TECAR therapy group (n=15) or a control group (n=15). Both groups received compression garments and a structured exercise program; the TECAR group additionally underwent six TECAR sessions over three weeks. Outcomes included lower limb circumference, Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for pain, Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS), and Lymphedema Quality of Life Questionnaire-Leg (LYMQOL-Leg), assessed at baseline and at one and three months post-treatment.
TECAR therapy resulted in greater reductions in lower limb circumference compared to standard care, with sustained improvement in the supramalleolar region at three months (p\<0.05). A significant short-term reduction in pain was observed at one month (p = 0.003) only in the TECAR group, but this effect was not maintained at three months (p > 0.05). Functional scores trended toward improvement without reaching significance (p=0.058). The overall quality of life score improved significantly in the TECAR group (p=0.002), although individual LYMQOL subdomains including function, appearance, mood, or symptoms did not reach statistical significance (p > 0.05).
As an adjunct to standard care, TECAR therapy appears to reduce pain and limb volume and enhance overall quality of life in Stage 2 lipedema. Further long-term studies are needed to confirm these findings.
Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
Exclusion Criteria:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Example: 70 kg and 1.75 m gives 70 ÷ (1.75 × 1.75) ≈ 22.9.
What counts as overweight or obesity differs between countries (some use lower cut-offs), so go by the range the study states.
Malignancy means cancer. Criteria about another or earlier malignancy ask whether you have had a different cancer, usually within a set number of years.
Some are commonly allowed, such as treated skin cancers other than melanoma and early cancers removed completely — check the exceptions this study lists.
A condition in which the immune system attacks the body’s own tissues, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, psoriasis, type 1 diabetes or inflammatory bowel disease.
Immunotherapy studies often leave out active autoimmune disease, and some name exceptions, such as thyroid disease on replacement hormone. Check the exceptions this study lists.
BMI (body mass index)
Weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Example: 70 kg and 1.75 m gives 70 ÷ (1.75 × 1.75) ≈ 22.9.
What counts as overweight or obesity differs between countries (some use lower cut-offs), so go by the range the study states.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Cancer (malignancy)
Malignancy means cancer. Criteria about another or earlier malignancy ask whether you have had a different cancer, usually within a set number of years.
Some are commonly allowed, such as treated skin cancers other than melanoma and early cancers removed completely — check the exceptions this study lists.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Autoimmune disease
A condition in which the immune system attacks the body’s own tissues, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, psoriasis, type 1 diabetes or inflammatory bowel disease.
Immunotherapy studies often leave out active autoimmune disease, and some name exceptions, such as thyroid disease on replacement hormone. Check the exceptions this study lists.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
All participants were provided with individually fitted compression garments (either pantyhose-type or thigh-high models, in class I \[18-21 mmHg\] or class II \[23-32mmHg\] depending on symptom severity and tolerance), and were instructed to wear them during waking hours for a minimum of 8 hours per day. Adherence to garment usage was monitored through patient diaries and reinforced at follow-up visits. Additionally, all patients were advised to engage in a structured walking program, consisting of moderate-intensity walking (perceived exertion level 11-13 on the Borg scale), for at least 20 minutes per session, three times per week.
Other: compression · Other: Exercise
TECAR therapy was applied to the lower limbs of patients diagnosed with lipedema using the BTL-6000 TR-Therapy PRO device (BTL, Turkiye). All treatment sessions were performed by a physiotherapist with specific experience in TECAR therapy. The device operated at a frequency of approximately 500 kHz and employed three types of electrodes: active, neutral, and static application electrodes. Two types of active electrodes -capacitive and resistive- were utilized and applied directly to the treatment area. The neutral electrode, serving as a reference point, was placed in proximity to the target region to ensure effective energy transfer.
Device: TECAR therapy · Other: compression · Other: Exercise
TECAR therapy was applied to the lower limbs of patients diagnosed with lipedema using the BTL-6000 TR-Therapy PRO device (BTL, Turkiye). All treatment sessions were performed by a physiotherapist with specific experience in TECAR therapy. The device operated at a frequency of approximately 500 kHz and employed three types of electrodes: active, neutral, and static application electrodes. Two types of active electrodes -capacitive and resistive- were utilized and applied directly to the treatment area. The neutral electrode, serving as a reference point, was placed in proximity to the target region to ensure effective energy transfer.
All participants were provided with individually fitted compression garments (either pantyhose-type or thigh-high models, in class I \[18-21 mmHg\] or class II \[23-32mmHg\] depending on symptom severity and tolerance), and were instructed to wear them during waking hours for a minimum of 8 hours per day. Adherence to garment usage was monitored through patient diaries and reinforced at follow-up visits.
All patients were advised to engage in a structured walking program, consisting of moderate-intensity walking (perceived exertion level 11-13 on the Borg scale), for at least 20 minutes per session, three times per week.
Circumference measurements
Circumference measurements were performed using a standard non-elastic tape measure at three anatomically defined landmarks: the mid-thigh, identified as the midpoint between the iliac crest and the lower border of the patella, the pretibial region, defined as the midpoint between the anterior tibial tuberosity and the medial malleolus and supramalleolar region. These regions were selected for their clinical relevance in lipedema and their high reproducibility in anthropometric assessments. To enhance measurement reliability, each site was measured three times consecutively, and the mean value was used for analysis. All measurements were conducted with the patient in a relaxed standing position by the same examiner to minimize inter-observer variability.
Time frame: Clinical assessments were conducted at baseline, as well as at 1 and 3 months following the treatment.
visual analogue scale (VAS)
Pain intensity was evaluated using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), a 10-cm horizontal line representing a continuum of pain experience, where 0 indicates "no pain" and 10 denotes the "worst imaginable pain". Participants were asked to mark the point that best reflected their pain perception at each evaluation time point.
Time frame: Clinical assessments were conducted at baseline, as well as at 1 and 3 months following the treatment.
The Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS)
Functional status was evaluated using the LEFS, a widely validated, patient-reported outcome measure specifically designed to assess lower extremity functional impairment. The LEFS consists of 20 items, each addressing a different daily or recreational activity involving the legs, such as walking, climbing stairs, squatting, or running. Participants rated the level of difficulty they experienced performing each activity on a 5-point Likert scale, ranging from 0 (extreme difficulty or unable to perform) to 4 (no difficulty).The total score ranges from 0 to 80, with higher scores reflecting greater functional capacity and less disability
Time frame: Clinical assessments were conducted at baseline, as well as at 1 and 3 months following the treatment.
The Lymphedema Quality of Life Questionnaire for the Leg (LYMQOL-Leg)
Quality of life was assessed using LYMQOL-Leg, a disease-specific instrument originally designed to evaluate health-related quality of life in patients with lower limb lymphedema. The questionnaire includes 24 items grouped into four distinct domains: function (activities of daily living and physical capacity), appearance (self-perception of leg aesthetics), mood (emotional and psychological well-being), and symptoms (such as heaviness, swelling, and pain). Each item is scored on a Likert scale from 1 to 4, with lower scores indicating greater impairment. In addition to domain scores, the LYMQOL includes a global quality of life score (rated on a scale from 0 to 10), where higher values reflect better overall quality of life \[23, 24\]. Although originally developed for lymphedema, LYMQOL has been effectively applied in lipedema studies due to symptom overlap.
Time frame: Clinical assessments were conducted at baseline, as well as at 1 and 3 months following the treatment.
Plan to share: Yes — all collected IPD can be shared upon request
Supporting information: Study protocol, Statistical analysis plan, Informed consent form
Time frame: Beginning 3 months and ending 3 years after the publication of results
Access criteria: The doctors specialized in physical medicine and rehabilitation may reach principal investigator through email
Ran from Sep 2024 to primary completion in Apr 2025, 7 months.
Of 29 interventional studies with no phase under Lipedema, half reached primary completion within 15 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 6 and three quarters within 31. This study's 7 months is below that.
How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.
This study is completed, as verified in Jul 2025. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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Ankara City Hospital Bilkent →