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Journal Article Epublish 3 citations

PubMed: 40611043 DOI: 10.1186/s12905-025-03834-9

Examining the characteristic features of lipedema and the usefulness of BMI and WHtR in clinical evaluation.

BMC Womens Health 25(1):292

Authors: Monika Czerwińska, Marcin Gruszecki, Jacek Rumiński, Rita Hansdorfer-Korzon

Affiliations

  • Department of Physiotherapy, Medical University of Gdańsk, 7 Dębinki Street, Gdańsk, 80-211, Poland.
  • Department of Radiology Informatics and Statistics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland.
  • Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Electronics, Telecommunications and Informatics, Gdansk University of Technology, Gdansk, Poland.
  • Department of Physiotherapy, Medical University of Gdańsk, 7 Dębinki Street, Gdańsk, 80-211, Poland.

Abstract

BACKGROUND

Lipedema is an adipose tissue disorder involving mostly women. One of the most characteristic lipedema symptoms is painful accumulation of adipose tissue in lower and upper extremities leading to disproportion. Due to the disproportionate body shape, it is recently thought that BMI (Body Mass Index) might not be fully sufficient to identify the weight ratios among lipedema patients and it is suggested to consider replacing BMI with WHtR (Waist-to-height ratio).

PURPOSE

The aim of the study is to present the characteristic features of lipedema patients and the usefulness of BMI and WHtR among lipedema patients in reference to symptoms severity, quality of life and body composition.

METHODS

Forty-four women with lipedema were asked to rate their symptoms in a scale from 0 to 10, and to complete SF-36 questionnaire affecting quality of life. Participants also had body composition assessment.

RESULTS

Participants experienced various lipedema symptoms such as: heaviness in affected areas (97.7%), pain at palpation (100%), spontaneous pain (82%), disproportionate body shape and tendency to bruising (88.6%). The level of pain was strictly correlated with patients' daily functioning (R = 0.79, p = 1.9*10 - 10). The quality of life among participants measured with SF-36 was 57.4/100. WHtR enabled the same group of patients to be divided into three nearly equal groups, while BMI only divided them into two groups. Statistically significant differences could be observed both between BMI and WHtR groups.

CONCLUSION

Lipedema symptoms have a direct impact on functioning of patients. Quality of life is decreased among women with lipedema. WHtR should be considered as a tool in identification of obesity among lipedema population.

MeSH

Quality Of Life, Pain, Lipedema, Body Composition, Signs And Symptoms, Tissues, Adipose Tissue