SYMPTOM BURDEN AND INFECTION OCCURRENCE AMONG INDIVIDUALS WITH EXTREMITY LYMPHEDEMA

Abstract

Currently, there is a lack of data relatedto differences in symptoms and infectionacross different types and anatomical sites oflymphedema. The objective of this study wasto examine differences in symptoms andinfection status among individuals withlymphedema of the upper or lower extremities.The National Lymphedema Network initiatedan online survey of self-report lymphedemadata from March 2006 through January 2010.Descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney tests,and Chi-square tests were used to analyzedata. 723 individuals with upper extremitylymphedema and 1114 individuals with lowerextremity lymphedema completed the survey.Individuals with extremity lymphedemaexperienced high symptom burden andinfectious complications. Compared withindividuals with upper extremity lymphedema,individuals with lower extremity lymphedemaexperienced more frequent and more severesymptoms (p<.001), infection episodes(p<.001), and infection-related hospitalizations(p<.001). No statistically significantdifferences of symptom burden and infectionstatus were identified between individuals with lower extremity primary and secondarylymphedema.Individuals with extremity lymphedemaexperience substantial symptom burden andinfectious complications; however, those withlower extremity lymphedema have more severesymptoms and more infections than thosewith upper extremity lymphedema.