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Quality of life and peripheral lymphedema

Authors:
Jose Maria Pereira de Godoy at Faculty of Medicine of São José do Rio Preto
Jose Maria Pereira de Godoy
Domingo Braile at Faculty of Medicine of São José do Rio Preto
Domingo Braile
Maria de Fatima Guerreiro Godoy at Godoy & Godoy Escola Internacional de Terapia Linfatica
Maria de Fatima Guerreiro Godoy
  • Godoy & Godoy Escola Internacional de Terapia Linfatica
O Longo
O Longo
O Longo
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Abstract

Evaluation of the health-related quality of life (QOL) is becoming commonplace, seeking to provide information about the everyday well-being of a patient. This work examined the QOL of 23 consecutive patients with lymphedema of the upper or lower extremities. Five were men and the other eighteen were women. Their ages ranged from 19 to 74 years (mean 48.3). After clinical examination, and with informed consent of each patient, they were assessed by a psychologist and submitted to a QOL test (SF-36). For controls, twenty-three women and five men with age range of 28 to 66 years (mean 47) were similarly evaluated. The results showed the lymphedema group had a statistically significantly reduced QOL in both physical and mental health as well as social interaction.
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Lymphology 35 (2002) 72-75
QUALITY OF LIFE AND PERIPHERAL LYMPHEDEMA
J.M. Pereira de Godoy, D.M. Braile, M. de Fátima Godoy, O. Longo, Jr.
Department of Cardiology and Vascular Surgery (JMPdeG,DMB) and Department of Psychology
and Psychiatry (MdeFG,OL), São José do Rio Preto University School of Medicine , Sã o Paulo,
Brazil
ABSTRACT
Evaluation of the health-related quality of life (QOL) is becoming commonplace, seeking to
provide information about the everyday well being of a patient. This work examined the QOL of
23 consecutive patients with lymphedema of the upper or lower extremities. Five were men and the
other eighteen were women. Their ages ranged from 19 to 74 years (mean 48.3). After clinical
examination, and with informed consent of each patient, they were assessed by a psychologist and
submitted to a QOL test (SF-36). For controls, twenty-three women and five men with age range
of 28 to 66 years (mean 47) were similarly evaluated. The results showed the lymphedema group
had a statistically significantly reduced QOL in both physical and mental health as well as social
interaction.
... Chronic deposition of protein rich lymphatic fluid in the interstitial space stimulates inflammation, leading to fibrosis and further damage to the lymphatics with resultant cycle of deterioration (4,5,6). This results in a grossly enlarged extremity with increased susceptibility to infection, functional impairment and psychosocial morbidity (7,8,9) Various treatment include non-surgical options like: compression garments, manual lymphatic drainage, exercise and skin care. Previously, either debulking or physiologic management has also been employed. ...
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