Table 2.

Summary of the statistical significance of the differences in overall HRQoL and HRQoL domains between the intervention and control group, and pre- and post-intervention in the intervention group

First author (year of publication)	Area of oedema	HRQoL
		Overall		Physical		Role		Mental		Social		Paina		Vitality		General
		BG	PP	BG	PP	BG	PP	BG	PP	BG	PP	BG	PP	BG	PP	BG	PP
Belmonte (2012) [26]b	Arm	○	–	▲/○f	–	○	–	○	–	○	–	○	–			–	–
Dayes (2013) [28]	Arm	–	–	○	○	–	–	○	○	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Gradalski (2015) [29]	Arm	○	▲	○	○/▲c	○	○/▲d	○	○/▲g	○/▲h	○/▲i	○	▲	–	–	–	–
Odebiyi (2014) [31]	Arm	▲	▲	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	▲	▲	–	–
Ridner (2013) [32]	Arm	○	–	○	–	○	–	○	–	○	–	–	–	○	–	○	–
Bongi (2011) [27]	Hand	▲	▲	▲	▲	▲	▲	▲	▲	–	–	▲	▲	–	–	–
Holmes (2014) [30]	Leg	○	○	○	○	–	–	–	–	–	–	○	○	–	–	–	–
dos Santos Crisostomo (2015) [33]	Leg	○	–	○/▲e	▲e	–	–	○	–	○	–	▲	▲	▲	▲	–	–

BG between-group difference, CG control group, HRQoL health-related quality of life, IG intervention group, PP pre- vs. post-intervention mean in the IG

“▲”,evidence against the null hypothesis of no difference between the treatment groups in the outcome (p < 0.05), i.e. there is evidence that there is a benefit of MLD concerning the outcome

“○”, no evidence against the null hypothesis (p ≥ 0.05)

^aOf the affected body part

^bCross-over trial: treatment effect in the whole sample (both) groups

^cFor the symptom of limb heaviness, not for movement restriction

^dFor issues with clothing, not for interference with work, interference household or dependence on others

^eFor the symptom of heaviness, not in the used physical functioning subscale of the HRQoL score

^fImprovements in tightness but not in heaviness or in the physical well-being subscale

^gImprovements in well-being and subjective limb appearance, but not in sleep disturbances

^hImprovements in interference with social life and hobbies but no interference with social relationships

ⁱImprovements in interference with intimate relationships but not with social life or hobbies