NCT03945838

Assessment of Muscle Strength and Volume Changes in Patients With Breast Cancer- Related Lymphedema

• Status: Completed
• Phase: —
• Study type: Observational
• Enrollment: 74 (actual)
• Sponsor: Ege University · Academic / Other
• Sex: Female
• Age: 18 Years – 70 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

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.

Conditions

• Lymphedema Arm
• Lymphedema; Surgical

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
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.

Timeline

• Start date: 2017-04-04
• Primary completion: 2018-04-24
• Completion: 2018-04-24
• First posted: 2019-05-10
• Last updated: 2019-05-10

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Turkey (Türkiye)