Table 1 Demographics of patients with lymphoedema of the arm (n = 2160)
Characteristic(s) | Number of patients (%) |
|---|---|
Clinical area | |
Community care | 1 (0.05) |
Hospital services | 238 (11.02) |
Lymphoedema specialist | 1917 (88.75) |
Other | 4 (0.19) |
missing | 0 |
Age, mean (sd) | 60.79 (12.89) |
missing | 0 |
Female | 2063 (95.51) |
missing | 0 |
Weight category | |
Underweight | 23 (1.07) |
Normal weight | 1430 (66.30) |
Obesity | 635 (29.44) |
Morbid obesity | 69 (3.20) |
missing | 3 |
Concomitant disease | |
Diabetes | 210 (9.72) |
missing | 0 |
Heart failure/ ischemic heart disease | 102 (4.72) |
missing | 0 |
Neurological disease | 52 (2.41) |
missing | 3 |
Classification of lymphoedema | |
Primary | 48 (2.23) |
Secondary (all causes) | 2107 (97.77) |
missing | 5 |
Non-cancer secondary causes of lymphoedema | 99 (4.71) |
Trauma or surgical procedures | 25 |
Venous disorder incl. thrombotic | 10 |
Immobility | 8 |
Skin disorders incl. cellulitis | 11 |
Obesity | 1 |
Multiple contributing factors | 10 |
Other or unknown | 29 |
missing | 5 |
Cancer-related secondary lymphoedema | 2000 (95.28) |
missing | 8 |
Cancer treatment | 1947 (97.50) |
missing | 3 |
Metastatic disease | 72 (3.61) |
missing | 3 |
Cancer type | |
Breast | 450 |
Bladder | 7 |
Melanoma | 4 |
Endometrial | 1 |
Head and neck | 1 |
Ovarian | 1 |
Other | 3 |
missing | 0 |
Duration of arm lymphoedema | |
< 1 year | 515 (23.86) |
1–2 years | 349 (16.17) |
2–5 years | 557 (25.81) |
> 5–10 years | 445 (20.62) |
> 10 years | 292 (13.53) |
missing | 2 |
General Mobility | |
Normal | 1992 (92.31) |
Walking aid | 136 (6.30) |
Chair/ bed bound | 30 (1.39) |
missing | 2 |
Arm mobility | |
Full | 1586 (73.49) |
Limited/ none | 573 (26.51) |
missing | 2 |
Lifetime cellulitis | 483 (22.36) |
missing | 0 |
Recent cellulitis (< 12 months) | 243 (11.25) |
missing | 0 |
Upper torso swelling | 679 (31.44) |
missing | 0 |
Presence of an arm wound | 15 (0.70) |
missing | 4 |
Treatment with compression therapy | |
Compression garment | 1731 (80.32) |
Multilayer bandage | 725 (33.46) |
Compression wrap | 114 (5.27) |
At least one of the above | 1782 (82.58) |
No compression | 376 (17.42) |
missing | 2 |
Good control of lymphoedema (well-controlled swelling) | 1364 (74.09) |
missing | 319 |