EPIDEMIOLOGICAL RISK FACTORS OF LYMPHEDEMAS REATED AT THE HOSPITAL SERVICE TORRECÁRDENAS

Abstract

 Aims: to study the epidemiological risk factors of lymphedema treated and their relation to the evolution of pathology. Check the results after treatment with decongestive physical therapy, taking into account the affiliation of the patient to treatment. Risk factors: source, surgical intervention, associated treatments, side of intervention in relation to the dominant side, related diseases and affiliation to therapy. Material and method: longitudinal, retrospective, observational, descriptive study. Initial sample: 40 patients with lymphedema, excluding 3 exitus. The study includes 35 women (94.6 %) and 2 men (5.4 %) with an average age of 57.92 years ± (standard deviation 7.99) at-tending in the Torrecárdenas Rehabilitation Hospital between October 2001 and May 2004. Inclusion criteria: having a perimeter > 2 cm and treated by the same physiotherapist. Variables: appearance times of edema (early: before 2 months; post-irradiation: after radiotherapy, late: after 2 years or more), pain in the affected limb as measured by a «yes-no» type and questionnaire patient collaboration being judged «good» when participating in hygiene measures, skin care, bandaging, and treatment attendance kinesitherapy and «bad» if not complying with any one of the above. Results: the application of radiotherapy influences the time to onset of edema (p < 0.001). The onset of pain is more frequent when the affected side coincides with the dominant side (p = 0.029). Confidence interval (CI) 95% 1, 2-2, 7). Influence of patient cooperation in the results (odds ratio OR: 84), 95% CI (6, 5-1083, 6). Conclusions: here is a tendency to suffer pain when the treated side coincides with the dominant member. The results are influenced by patient cooperation in physical therapy treatment.