Hurt A, Tappert S; Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL and The University of Chicago Hospital, Chicago, IL. tapperts@finchcms.edu.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the intrarater and interrater reliability of the circumferential measurement of limbs with lymphedema using the JUZO® measurement board with tape measures. SUBJECTS: Thirteen individuals with lymphedema in either their upper extremity or lower extremity participated in the study. The mean age of the subjects was 52.3 years (30 – 67 years). The mean length of time the subjects were diagnosed with lymphedema was 6.38 years (.08 – 25 years). METHODS AND MATERIALS: Two investigators took two sets of circumferential measurements at five predetermined points using the JUZO® measurement board with tape measures. Investigators were blinded to the measurement by a covering on the tape measure. The sets of measurements were taken on each limb before and after a treatment. A total of twenty-three sets of measurements were taken. Measurements were marked on the covered (blinded) side of the tape measure and read at a different time by a separate recorder. ANALYSIS: Intraclass Correlation Coefficients (ICC) were calculated for both intrarater and interrater reliability for measurements at each point for all measurements (n = 23), for measurements of the lower extremities (n = 13), and for measurements of the upper extremities (n = 10). RESULTS: The intrarater reliability at each point for total limbs measured for investigator 1 was .99 at point 1 and 1.00 at the other 4 points. For LEs the ICC for investigator 1 ranged from .99 to 1.0 and for UEs from .91 to 1.0. For investigator 2 for total measurements the intrarater reliability was 1.00 at all points, for LE and UE measurements the ICCs ranged from .98 to 1.0. For interrater reliability, the ICC for the mean measurement for total measurements at each point ranged from .98 to 1.0. The ICC for interrater reliability for LE measurements at each point ranged from .96 to.99 and for UE ranged from .73 (only ICC under .99) to 1.0. CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that circumferential measurements of limbs with lymphedema using the JUZO® measurement board with tape measures are reliable. FUNDING SOURCE: None.

Copyright 2004 by the American Physical Therapy Association

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