物理治疗与身体康复杂志

Characteristic Lower Limb Pitting Edema Post-Stroke - Identification of Risk Factors: A Comparison between the Normal and Hemiplegic Side in Stroke Patients and Healthy Elderly Controls

Abstract

Haruki Kogo, Jun Murata, Shin Murata, Yuh Yamashita and Toshio Higashi

Objective: Only a few studies have investigated the factors associated with the development of post-stroke lower limb edema. This study aimed to clarify the risk factors for lower limb edema after a stroke using the depth of surface imprint as a proxy measure of the severity of pitting edema.

Methods: Sixty-five patients with chronic stroke (39 men and 26 women; average age, 70.9 ± 13.8 years) were enrolled, with 35 healthy elderly individuals (11 men and 24 women; average age, 71.9 ± 5.1 years) included in the control group. All stroke patients were medically stable. Our stroke group included patients with a history of cardiac disease and diuretics use. Depth of the surface imprint was produced by a 20-N compression force applied with a digital force gauge for 10 s to the dorsum of the foot.

Results: The depth of the imprint was greater in the stroke group, bilaterally, than in the control group. Age was positively correlated with the depth of the imprint on the non-hemiplegic side in the stroke group.

Conclusion: Our findings indicate that a main risk factor for lower limb edema in chronic stroke may be a decreased function of the skeletal muscle pump due to paralysis and/or immobility.