Approach to diagnosing lower extremity edema

The VASCERN PPL working group patient pathway for primary and paediatric lymphoedema

Lymphoedema is caused by an imbalance between fluid production and transport by the lymphatic system. This imbalance can be either caused by reduced transport capacity of the lymphatic system or too much fluid production and leads to swelling associated with tissue changes (skin thickening, fat deposition). Its main common complication is the increased risk of developing cellulitis/erysipelas in the affected area, which can worsen the lymphatic function and can be the cause of raised morbidity of the patient if not treated correctly/urgently. The term primary lymphoedema covers a group of rare conditions caused by abnormal functioning and/or development of the lymphatic system. It covers a highly heterogeneous group of conditions. An accurate diagnosis of primary lymphoedema is crucial for the implementation of an optimal treatment plan and management, as well as to reduce the risk of worsening. Patient care is diverse across Europe, and national specialised centres and networks are not available everywhere. The European Reference Network on Rare Multisystemic Vascular Diseases (VASCERN) gathers the best expertise in Europe and provide accessible cross-border healthcare to patients with rare vascular diseases. There are six different working groups in VASCERN, which focus on arterial diseases, hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia, neurovascular diseases, lymphoedema and vascular anomalies. The working group Paediatric and Primary Lymphedema (PPL WG) gathers and shares knowledge and expertise in the diagnosis and management of adults and children with primary and paediatric lymphoedema. The members of PPL WG have worked together to produce this opinion statement reflecting strategies on how to approach patients with primary and paediatric lymphoedema. The objective of this patient pathway is to improve patient care by reducing the time to diagnosis, define the best management and follow-up strategies and avoid overuse of resources. Therefore, the patient pathway describes the clinical evaluation and investigations that lead to a clinical diagnosis, the genetic testing, differential diagnosis, the management and treatment options and the patient follow up at expert and local centres. Also, the importance of the patient group participation in the PPL WG is discussed.

Adding Pneumatic Compression Therapy in Lower Extremity Lymphedema Increases Compliance of Treatment, While Decreasing the Infection Rate

Background: Lymphedema (LE) is a chronic condition that requires lifelong treatment. Although pneumatic compression therapy (PCT) is one treatment option, current algorithms consider it as an adjunct to standard LE. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the importance of adapting PCT for lower extremity LE (LEL) in relation to patient compliance and rate of infection. Materials and Methods: Patients diagnosed with LEL were followed prospectively. Patient demographics, comorbidities, treatment modality, compliance, infection due to LE, and hospitalization were recorded. LEL patients with no-PCT were also recorded in the same time period to evaluate the treatment compliance and the need for physical therapy visits. The no-PCT group received the standard LE care, whereas the PCT group received the standard LE care plus a new-generation pneumatic compression device. Results: A total of 69 patients were enrolled in this study. The PCT group had 50 patients and no-PCT group had 19 patients. The PCT group had median 58.5 months of LE symptoms, while non-PCT patients had median 23 months of LE symptoms (p = 0.11). Infection rates decreased by 32% and hospitalizations due to infection decreased by 14% after PCT treatment had been initiated. Physical therapy needs decreased by 24% after PCT use. At median 18 months, follow-up compliance for PCT was 84%, but compliance for manual lymphatic drainage was almost half (53%) in no-PCT group. Conclusions: PCT leads to a decrease in infection rate, hospital admissions, and physical therapy (PT) visits in clinically significant LEL. Although there is no cost calculation in this study, it can be correlated to significant cost savings due to a reduction of infection and hospitalization and the need for PT visits. Adoption of PCT offers a superior value proposition to not only patients but also the health care system. Cost analysis should be followed.

The value of B-type natriuretic peptide plasma concentrations in very old people with chronic peripheral oedema

BACKGROUND

Chronic peripheral oedema is frequent in old patients, and very often results from multiple causes.

AIM

To investigate whether determination of B-type natriuretic peptide plasma concentration helps with the diagnosis of chronic peripheral oedema aetiologies.

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional observational study conducted in geriatric hospital wards (intermediate and long-term care) on consecutive in-hospital patients aged>75 years with chronic peripheral oedema and no dyspnoea. From medical history, physical examination, routine biological tests and chest radiography, two investigators determined the aetiologies of oedema, with special attention paid to recognizing chronic heart failure. This reference diagnosis was compared with the clinical diagnosis mentioned in the medical chart. Brain natriuretic peptide plasma concentrations were measured soon after the investigators' visit.

RESULTS

Among the 141 patients (113 women and 28 men) aged 86±6 years, a single aetiology was identified in 53 (38%), and multiple aetiologies in 84 (60%). The main aetiologies were venous insufficiency (69%), chronic heart failure (43%), hypoproteinaemia (38%) and drug-induced oedema (26%). Chronic heart failure was frequently misdiagnosed by attending clinicians (missed in 18 cases and wrongly diagnosed in 14 cases). Brain natriuretic peptide concentration was significantly higher in patients with chronic heart failure than in those without: median (interquartile range) 490 (324-954) versus 137 (79-203) pg/mL, respectively (P<0.0001). The receiver operating characteristic curve showed that a concentration of 274pg/mL was appropriate for diagnosing chronic heart failure, with a specificity of 0.89 and a sensitivity of 0.82. Brain natriuretic peptide concentrations above this cut-off were significantly and independently associated with the diagnosis of chronic heart failure.

CONCLUSIONS

Chronic heart failure is frequently misdiagnosed in old patients with chronic peripheral oedema, and B-type natriuretic peptide plasma concentration helped to improve the diagnosis of this condition and identify chronic heart failure.

Comparison of Lower Extremity Edema in Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer: Pretreatment Laparoscopic Surgical Staging with Tailored Radiotherapy Versus Primary Radiotherapy

BACKGROUND

This study investigated the clinical manifestations of lower extremity edema (LEE) in locally advanced cervical cancer patients treated with two different strategies.

METHODS

In total, 79 cervical cancer survivors with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage IB2-IIB were included. Six survivors with stage IB1 and who had been suspicious for lymph node metastasis on pretreatment image also were included. Forty-two patients received radiotherapy after pretreatment laparoscopic surgical staging (Group 1), and 43 patients received primary radiotherapy (Group 2). The patients' medical records and survey results of the Korean version of the Gynecologic Cancer Lymphedema Questionnaire (GCLQ-K) were analyzed.

RESULTS

The incidence of LEE was higher in Group 1 than in Group 2 (69.0 vs. 11.6 %; P < 0.001). The duration of LEE was longer in Group 1 (mean 77.3 vs. 9.4 months). At the time of survey, 47.6 % of the patients in Group 1 were clinically diagnosed with lymphedema compared with no patients in Group 2. In GCLQ-K, the mean symptom cluster scores for general swelling (0.74 vs. 0.09; P < 0.001), limb swelling (0.22 vs. 0.00; P = 0.006), and heaviness (0.45 vs. 0.23; P = 0.033) were significantly higher in Group 1. One patient in Group 1 developed lymphedema-related angiosarcoma that was diagnosed at 7.8 years after surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with cervical cancer who underwent radiotherapy after laparoscopic surgical staging more commonly experienced LEE and related symptoms than patients who underwent primary radiotherapy. As LEE decreases patients' quality of life, it should be considered during patient consultation and surveillance.

Reliability and feasibility of methods to quantitatively assess peripheral edema

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate methods to assess peripheral edema for reliability, feasibility and correlation with the classic clinical assessment of pitting edema.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional observational study.

SETTING

Large primary care clinic in Marshfield, Wisconsin, USA.

PARTICIPANTS

Convenience sample of 20 patients with type 2 diabetes and a range of edema severity, including patients without edema.

METHODS

Eight methods of edema assessment were evaluated: (1) clinical assessment of pit depth and recovery at three locations, (2) patient questionnaire, (3) ankle circumference, (4) figure-of-eight (ankle circumference using eight ankle/foot landmarks), (5) edema tester (plastic card with holes of varying size pressed to the ankle with a blood pressure cuff), (6) modified edema tester (edema tester with bumps), (7) indirect leg volume (by series of ankle/leg circumferences), and (8) foot/ankle volumetry by water displacement. Patients were evaluated independently by three nurse examiners.

RESULTS

Water displacement and ankle circumference had high inter-examiner agreement (intraclass correlation coefficient 0.93, 0.96 right; 0.97, 0.97 left). Agreement was inconsistent for figure-of-eight (0.64, 0.86), moderate for indirect leg volume (0.53, 0.66), and low for clinical assessments at all locations. Agreement was low for the edema testers but varied by the pressure administered. Correlation with the classic, subjective clinical assessment was good for the nurse-performed assessments and patient questionnaire. Ankle circumference and patient questionnaires each took 1 minute to complete. Other tools took >5 minutes to complete.

CONCLUSIONS

Water displacement and ankle circumference showed excellent reliability; however, water displacement is a time-consuming measure and may pose implementation challenges in the clinical and clinical trial environments. Patient-reported level and frequency of edema, based on an unvalidated questionnaire, was generally well correlated with the physician assessment of edema severity and may prove to be another reliable and accurate method of assessing edema. Additional study is needed to evaluate the validity and responsiveness of these methods.

Severe gestational edema

Lower extremity edema is an almost universal finding in late pregnancy, occurring secondary to increased venous pressure in the legs, obstruction of lymphatic flow, and reduced plasma colloid osmotic pressure.(1) Varney describes gestational edema as the development of an excessive accumulation of fluid in the tissues without coexisting hypertension or proteinuria.(2) Midwives are familiar with this common condition in an otherwise uncomplicated pregnancy and are comfortable reassuring clients that lower extremity edema is non-pathologic. The patient with severe lower extremity edema, however, presents the provider with a clinical challenge. Is the presenting symptom a sign of an underlying disease process, or simply a normal physiologic process with extreme manifestation/expression? Lower extremity edema that rises to include the labia presents an intrapartum challenge of managing tissue integrity during the birth. A case of severe gestational edema is reported. Discussion explores broader considerations in differential diagnosis and management.