Clinical aspects of congenital primary lymphedema

PURPOSE Lymphedema is a specific type of edema with a chronic, progressive nature. The aim of the present study is to report clinical findings related to edema and its location in children with primary lymphedema. METHODS Sixty-eight children with congenital primary lymphedema were evaluated at the Godoy Clinic in Sao Jose do Rio Preto, Brazil, between 2014 and 2017. A retrospective, cross-sectional study was conducted involving the analysis of clinical data on the location of edema in 68 children with congenital primary lymphedema. We evaluated the charts of all children with this condition in the period analyzed, recording the affected limbs and conditions associated with lymphedema. RESULTS Sixty-eight children, 37 girls (54.41%) and 31 boys (45.58%), were evaluated. CONCLUSION We found that congenital primary lymphedema predominantly affects the lower limbs and is more prevalent in girls than boys.