Effects of intermittent pneumatic compression treatment on clinical outcomes and biochemical markers in patients at low mobility with lower limb edema.

Objective: We aimed to evaluate the effects of intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) in patients at low mobility with leg edema.

Methods: A pilot, two-arm, randomized controlled clinical trial was performed. Fifty patients (age, 58.4 ± 9 years; male, 14), randomly allocated to a group (IPC) undergoing 1 month (n = 29) of an in-home cycle of IPC and to a control (C) group (n = 21), were studied. Leg edema was evaluated by measuring subcutaneous thickness (high-resolution ultrasound) and circumferences (metric tape), both assessed at different levels of the lower limbs, and volume (water plethysmography). Ankle range of motion (ROM, goniometer), quality of life (QoL) by the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey, and a pool of plasma inflammatory markers were also evaluated.

Results: Edema significantly decreased in the IPC group (for all outcome measures, P < .0001), whereas it significantly increased in the C group (P < .0001). Ankle ROM was significantly enhanced in the IPC group (dorsiflexion, P < .0001; plantar flexion, P = .002) and remained stable in the C group. QoL showed an improvement in the IPC group, particularly significant for the general health subscale (P = .004), whereas no changes were highlighted in the C group. The two groups exhibited different trends and variations for some plasma inflammatory markers, mainly for granulocyte colony-stimulating factor.

Conclusions: In a sample of patients at reduced mobility with leg edema, IPC treatment was effective in reducing the edema, improving the ankle ROM, and determining a positive impact on QoL together with a slight modulation of some plasma inflammatory markers.