Table 1.
Demographic and clinical characteristics (n=20).
| Number of patients (%) | |
| Severity of edema* | |
| None | 4 (20)† |
| Mild | 10 (50) |
| Moderate | 3 (15) |
| Severe | 3 (15) |
| Type of edema | |
| Venous stasis | 10 (50) |
| Lipedema‡ | 4 (20) |
| Lymphedema | 1 (5) |
| Two or more | 2 (10) |
| None | 3 (15) |
| Mean age, years (range) | 70.2 (59 to 85) |
| Gender, women | 14 (70) |
| Race, white | 20 (100) |
| Mean weight, kg (range) | 91.8 (59.4 to 133.4) |
| Mean body mass index (kg/m2 ) | 33.1 (20.8 to 45.8) |
| Concurrent conditions | |
| Hypertension | 17 (85) |
| Dyslipidemia/hyperlipidemia | 17 (85) |
| Coronary artery disease | 6 (30) |
| Chronic heart failure | 4 (20) |
| Dyspnea | 2 (10) |
| Venous insufficiency | 1 (5) |
| Renal insufficiency | 4 (20) |
| Arthritis | 6 (30) |
| Concomitant medications§ | |
| Anti-hypertensive medication, excluding diuretics | 18 (90) |
| Diuretics | 14 (70) |
| Lipid-altering medication | 9 (45) |
| Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents | 2 (10) |
| Thiazolidinediones | 1 (5) |
| Insulin | 7 (35) |
* Initial classification of edema was determined by a physician and based upon the classic clinical assessment of edema. Efforts were made to recruit patients with a range of edema severity and patients with no edema.
† One patient was classified as having a medical history of edema consistent with lipedema but no edema was present at the time of the study.
‡ Lipedema is a entity distinguished clinically from lymphedema by the presence of soft symmetrical tissue enlargement of the lower extremities with sparing of the foot, ankle and upper extremities.[1]
§ Medications taken on the day of the visit.