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Completed

NCT Number: NCT05529537

Manual Lymphatic Drainage for Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, progressive, autoimmune disease characterized by inflammation of the synovial joints and tendon sheaths. As a result of synovitis, progressive damage occurs in cartilage, bone and joints. This damage leads to severe functional limitations and deterioration in quality of life. Synovial tissues are the main site of involvement. Manual lymph drainage reduces the levels of inflammatory mediators associated with edema and pain in the acute phase. On the basis of this concept; Stimulating the lymph system and increasing circulation, removing biochemical residues, regulating sympathetic and parasympathetic system responses, and thus reducing edema and pain. The increase in cardiac parasympathetic activity measured after MLD also contributes to relaxation. In addition to the transport of lymphatic fluid, manual lymph drainage stimulates free nerve endings in the skin with the touches it contains. Gentle stimulation to the skin increases tactile input and closes the pain pathways. In addition, the superficial relaxation and warming provided by soft stimulation creates an effect on the autonomic nervous system and activates the parasympathetic system. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of manual lymphatic drainage on upper extremity functionality in individuals with rheumatoid arthritis.

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Key information

Conditions

Effect of Manual Lymphatic Drainage on Upper Extremity Functionality in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Age range

25 year–65 year

Sex eligibility

Female

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Kutahya Health Science University Hospital

Kütahya, 43100, Turkey (Türkiye)

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Diagnosed with RA according to ACR criteria
  • Being between the ages of 18-65
  • Volunteering to participate in the study

Exclusion criteria

  • Presence of neuromuscular disease
  • Having difficulty walking
  • Cognitive impairment
  • Having systemic disease such as diabetes mellitus and osteoarthritis
  • History of upper extremity sIf you have Hand Deformity

Treatment and study plan

Manual lymphatic drainage

Other

In addition to conventional treatment for 4 weeks, manual lymph drainage will be applied to the patients.

excersize

Other

upper extremity normal joint range of motion exercise, strengthening exercise, tendon gliding exercises

Primary outcomes

  1. Rheumatoid Arthritis Quality of Life Scale (QOL-RA)

    Time frame: 10 minutes

    In the scale consisting of 30 questions; questions are scored as "yes-1" and "no-0". The scores obtained range from 0-30, and high scores indicate poor quality of life.

  2. pressure pain threshold

    Time frame: 5 minutes

    It is used for the assessment of sensitivity to pain and the determination of pressure perception. will be evaluated with a digital algometer device with a surface area of 1 cm2 and a sensitivity of 0.25 kg/cm2 (Jtech Medical Industries, ZEVEX Company, USA).

  3. hand grip strength

    Time frame: 5 minutes

    The Jamar hand dynamometer, which is recommended by the American Association of Hand Therapists (AETD) and has high validity and reliability in many studies and is therefore accepted as the gold standard, will be used.

  4. finger grip strength

    Time frame: 5 minutes

    Finger pinchmeter (Baseline) will be used to measure finger grip strength.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Selcuk University

Other

Registry information

Official study title

The Effect of Manual Lymphatic Drainage on Upper Extremity Functionality in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients

Important dates

Study start
2022
Primary completion
2022
Study completion
2022
First posted
Sep 7, 2022
Registry last updated
Dec 19, 2022

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.