Use of impedance ratios to assess hand swelling in lymphoedema

Abstract

To determine whether bioimpedance spectroscopy was suitable for detection of hand lymphoedema. The hands of 50 participants without a history of lymphoedema were measured with perometry and bioimpedance spectroscopy after positioning two ways for three minutes: (a) both hands rested at heart height and (b) the dominant hand at heart height and the non-dominant hand at head height. In addition, 10 women with secondary hand lymphoedema were also measured. Impedance and volume measurements were found to be strongly related (dominant hand r = -0.794). Both measurements were reliable (ICC2,1 = 0.900-0.967 and 0.988-0.996, respectively). Impedance was more sensitive to small changes in hand volume due to the postural change (position × device interaction: F = 23.9, P < 0.001). Finally, impedance measurements had better discrimination of women with lymphoedema than volume measurements. Bioimpedance spectroscopy is a promising tool for the detection of secondary hand lymphoedema.