An observational study in Lipedema, sponsored by Kanuni Sultan Suleyman Training and Research Hospital. Not yet recruiting. Open to female participants aged 18 Years to 65 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-06-16.
Sponsored by Kanuni Sultan Suleyman Training and Research Hospital · Observational
Lipedema is a chronic and progressive adipose tissue disorder characterized by symmetrical fat accumulation, pain, tenderness, and easy bruising, predominantly affecting women. Increasing evidence suggests that chronic low-grade inflammation and impaired resolution of inflammation may contribute to its pathophysiology. Maresin-1 is a specialized pro-resolving lipid mediator with potent anti-inflammatory and tissue-protective properties; however, its role in lipedema remains largely unknown. This cross-sectional observational study aims to evaluate serum Maresin-1 levels in women with lipedema and to investigate their associations with pain severity, inflammatory markers, central sensitization, and quality of life. Serum Maresin-1 levels and clinical characteristics will be compared among women with lipedema, obese women without lipedema, and healthy controls to explore the potential value of Maresin-1 as a biomarker in lipedema.
Lipedema is a chronic, progressive adipose tissue disorder that predominantly affects women and is characterized by symmetrical enlargement of the extremities, pain, tenderness, and easy bruising. Despite its increasing recognition, the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms remain incompletely understood. Current evidence suggests that adipose tissue dysfunction, microvascular alterations, and chronic low-grade inflammation may contribute to disease development and progression. Distinguishing lipedema from obesity and lymphedema remains a major clinical challenge, highlighting the need for reliable biological markers.
Maresin-1 is a macrophage-derived specialized pro-resolving lipid mediator involved in the active resolution of inflammation and the restoration of tissue homeostasis. Experimental and clinical studies have demonstrated its anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties in several chronic inflammatory conditions. However, the relationship between circulating Maresin-1 levels and the clinical manifestations of lipedema has not been adequately investigated.
This study is designed as a single-center, cross-sectional, observational study including three groups: women with clinically diagnosed lipedema, obese women without lipedema, and healthy female controls. A total of 84 participants are planned to be enrolled, with 28 individuals in each group.
Serum Maresin-1 concentrations will be measured using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. Clinical assessments will include pain severity evaluated by the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), central sensitization assessed by the Central Sensitization Inventory (CSI), and health-related quality of life measured using the EuroQol-5D (EQ-5D). Routine inflammatory parameters, including C-reactive protein (CRP) and the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), will also be evaluated.
The primary objective of the study is to compare serum Maresin-1 levels among the three groups. Secondary objectives are to investigate the associations between Maresin-1 levels and pain severity, inflammatory parameters, central sensitization, and quality of life, as well as to explore the potential role of Maresin-1 as a biomarker for lipedema pathophysiology.
85 studies on the registry are indexed under Lipedema; 32 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 84 is close to the median of 90 across 42 observational studies indexed under Lipedema.
Browse Lipedema studies →Kanuni Sultan Suleyman Training and Research Hospital is the lead sponsor of 225 studies on the registry; 35 are open to participants now.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
The study population will consist of adult women aged 18 to 65 years recruited from the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation outpatient clinic of a tertiary care hospital. Participants will be classified into three groups: (1) women with clinically diagnosed lipedema, (2) women with obesity (body mass index ≥30 kg/m²) without lipedema, and (3) healthy female volunteers without chronic or inflammatory diseases. A total of 84 participants are planned to be enrolled, with 28 individuals in each group. The study aims to compare serum Maresin-1 levels and their associations with clinical and inflammatory parameters across these populations.
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.
Healthy female volunteers without chronic or inflammatory diseases for the healthy control group.
No acute infection within the previous 3 months. Ability and willingness to provide written .
Exclusion Criteria:
Acute infection within the previous 3 months. Inability to comply with study procedures or complete study assessments. Refusal or inability to provide written .
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.
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
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.
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.
Anti-inflammatory medicines such as prednisone, prednisolone and dexamethasone — not the anabolic steroids used for muscle.
Studies differ in what they allow: check which steroid medicines, routes (tablets, injections, creams, inhalers, eye drops) and doses this study accepts.
A weakened immune system. It can come from an illness, such as HIV or some blood cancers, or from medicines that turn the immune system down, for example after an organ transplant or for an autoimmune disease; steroids at higher doses count.
Read whether the line is about a condition or about medicines, and which medicines and doses it means.
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.
Informed consent
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
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.
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.
Corticosteroids (steroids)
Anti-inflammatory medicines such as prednisone, prednisolone and dexamethasone — not the anabolic steroids used for muscle.
Studies differ in what they allow: check which steroid medicines, routes (tablets, injections, creams, inhalers, eye drops) and doses this study accepts.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Immunosuppression
A weakened immune system. It can come from an illness, such as HIV or some blood cancers, or from medicines that turn the immune system down, for example after an organ transplant or for an autoimmune disease; steroids at higher doses count.
Read whether the line is about a condition or about medicines, and which medicines and doses it means.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Women with clinically diagnosed lipedema.
Women with obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m²) without clinical lipedema.
Healthy women without lipedema or obesity and without chronic inflammatory disease.
Serum Maresin-1 Level
The primary outcome is the serum Maresin-1 concentration measured in peripheral venous blood samples using a commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Serum Maresin-1 levels will be compared among women with lipedema, obese women without lipedema, and healthy controls.
Time frame: At baseline (single assessment during study participation)
Pain Severity (Visual Analog Scale, VAS)
Pain intensity will be assessed using the 10-cm Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Higher scores indicate greater pain severity.
Time frame: At baseline (single assessment during study participation)
Central Sensitization Inventory (CSI) Score
Central sensitization symptoms will be evaluated using the Central Sensitization Inventory (CSI). Higher scores indicate greater central sensitization.
Time frame: At baseline (single assessment during study participation)
No study locations are listed for this record.
This study is not yet recruiting, as verified in Jun 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
Get an email when the registry record changes — status, dates, results — or when someone posts here.
Sign in to followQuestions and observations about this study, from anyone following it. Not medical advice, and not a channel to the study team — their contact details are on the registry record.
Sign in to join the discussion. Reading takes no account; posting does. You choose a display name, and a pseudonym is the default.
Nothing here yet. If you are running this trial, taking part in it, or weighing whether to, this is the place to say so.
Kanuni Sultan Suleyman Training and Research Hospital →