Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Test-Retest Reliability of Local Tissue Water and Circumference Measurements in the Head and Neck Area of Healthy Women and Men

Hagren, Agneta LU ; Brogårdh, Christina LU ; Johansson, Karin LU ; Sjövall, Johanna LU and Ekvall Hansson, Eva LU (2023) In Lymphatic Research and Biology 21(4). p.381-387
Abstract

Background: Measurements of local tissue water and circumferences are methods to evaluate lymphedema. Knowledge about reference values and reproducibility needs, however, to be determined for the head and neck (HN) area of healthy persons before it can be used in persons with HN lymphedema. The objective of this study was to evaluate the test-retest reliability including measurement errors of local tissue water and neck circumference measurements (CM) in the HN area in a healthy cohort. Methods and Results: Thirty-one women and 29 men were measured on 2 occasions, 14 days apart. The percentage of tissue water content (PWC) were calculated in four facial points and neck CM at three levels. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC),... (More)

Background: Measurements of local tissue water and circumferences are methods to evaluate lymphedema. Knowledge about reference values and reproducibility needs, however, to be determined for the head and neck (HN) area of healthy persons before it can be used in persons with HN lymphedema. The objective of this study was to evaluate the test-retest reliability including measurement errors of local tissue water and neck circumference measurements (CM) in the HN area in a healthy cohort. Methods and Results: Thirty-one women and 29 men were measured on 2 occasions, 14 days apart. The percentage of tissue water content (PWC) were calculated in four facial points and neck CM at three levels. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), changes in mean, standard error of measurement (SEM%), and smallest real difference (SRD%) were calculated. Reliability for PWC was fair to excellent for both women (ICC 0.67-0.89) and men (ICC 0.71-0.87). Measurement errors were acceptable in all points in both women (SEM% 3.6%-6.4%, SRD% 9.9%-17.7%) and men (SEM% 5.1%-10.9%, SRD% 14.2%-30.3%). For the CM, ICCs were excellent both for women (ICC 0.85-0.90) and men (ICC 0.92-0.94), and measurement errors were low (SEM% for women 1.9%-2.1%, SRD% 5.1%-5.9%; SEM% for men 1.6%-2.0%, SRD% 4.6%-5.6%). Most of the lowest values were found close to bone and vessels. Conclusion: Measurements for PWC and CM in the HN area are reliable in healthy women and men, with acceptable to low measurement errors. PWC points close to bony structures and vessels should, however, be used with caution.

(Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
head and neck cancer, healthy volunteers, lymphedema, reproducibility of results
in
Lymphatic Research and Biology
volume
21
issue
4
pages
381 - 387
publisher
Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.
external identifiers
  • pmid:36898062
  • scopus:85163198404
ISSN
1539-6851
DOI
10.1089/lrb.2022.0081
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
41496fda-37ab-4d20-921a-71b99635f778
date added to LUP
2023-10-13 13:03:04
date last changed
2024-04-19 02:18:23
@article{41496fda-37ab-4d20-921a-71b99635f778,
  abstract     = {{<p>Background: Measurements of local tissue water and circumferences are methods to evaluate lymphedema. Knowledge about reference values and reproducibility needs, however, to be determined for the head and neck (HN) area of healthy persons before it can be used in persons with HN lymphedema. The objective of this study was to evaluate the test-retest reliability including measurement errors of local tissue water and neck circumference measurements (CM) in the HN area in a healthy cohort. Methods and Results: Thirty-one women and 29 men were measured on 2 occasions, 14 days apart. The percentage of tissue water content (PWC) were calculated in four facial points and neck CM at three levels. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), changes in mean, standard error of measurement (SEM%), and smallest real difference (SRD%) were calculated. Reliability for PWC was fair to excellent for both women (ICC 0.67-0.89) and men (ICC 0.71-0.87). Measurement errors were acceptable in all points in both women (SEM% 3.6%-6.4%, SRD% 9.9%-17.7%) and men (SEM% 5.1%-10.9%, SRD% 14.2%-30.3%). For the CM, ICCs were excellent both for women (ICC 0.85-0.90) and men (ICC 0.92-0.94), and measurement errors were low (SEM% for women 1.9%-2.1%, SRD% 5.1%-5.9%; SEM% for men 1.6%-2.0%, SRD% 4.6%-5.6%). Most of the lowest values were found close to bone and vessels. Conclusion: Measurements for PWC and CM in the HN area are reliable in healthy women and men, with acceptable to low measurement errors. PWC points close to bony structures and vessels should, however, be used with caution.</p>}},
  author       = {{Hagren, Agneta and Brogårdh, Christina and Johansson, Karin and Sjövall, Johanna and Ekvall Hansson, Eva}},
  issn         = {{1539-6851}},
  keywords     = {{head and neck cancer; healthy volunteers; lymphedema; reproducibility of results}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{4}},
  pages        = {{381--387}},
  publisher    = {{Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.}},
  series       = {{Lymphatic Research and Biology}},
  title        = {{Test-Retest Reliability of Local Tissue Water and Circumference Measurements in the Head and Neck Area of Healthy Women and Men}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1089/lrb.2022.0081}},
  doi          = {{10.1089/lrb.2022.0081}},
  volume       = {{21}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}