{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,25]],"date-time":"2026-10-25T18:33:50Z","timestamp":1792953230846,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":51,"publisher":"SAGE Publications","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,22]],"date-time":"2026-10-22T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1792627200000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/page\/policies\/text-and-data-mining-license"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["journals.sagepub.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Lymphatic Research and Biology"],"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Rationale:<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>To evaluate which factors are associated with change in lymphedema-specific quality of life (QoL) and relative volume difference in the maintenance phase after a multidisciplinary intensive treatment program in patients with lower limb lymphedema(LLL).<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods and Results:<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      In this retrospective study, patients received a multidisciplinary intensive treatment followed by a maintenance phase. In this maintenance phase, patients were advised to perform skin care and exercises and to wear compression garments. Circumferential measurements and the Lymph-ICF-LL questionnaires to determine volume and the lymphedema-specific QoL, respectively, were collected at the start and end of the intensive treatment and at 6 months follow-up. Patient-, lymphedema-, and treatment-related variables were collected to investigate their association with change in lymphedema-specific QoL and relative volume in the maintenance phase. Mann\u2013Whitney U and Spearman rank correlation tests were applied. Patients (\n                      <jats:italic toggle=\"yes\">n<\/jats:italic>\n                      = 279) who did not receive physiotherapy between 5 and 6 months follow-up and had a lower %score on the 6-minute walk test at the start of the intensive treatment showed significant better improvement in physical function and general tasks\/household in the maintenance phase, respectively. Younger age, concomitant lipedema, and a lower % volume reduction during intensive treatment were significantly associated with less relative volume increase in the maintenance phase.\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusions:<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Patients without physiotherapy around 5\u20136 months follow-up or with limited physical capacity at the start may perceive better improvements in certain lymphedema-specific QoL domains, while younger age, concomitant lipedema, and less initial volume reduction appear to be less predisposed to volume regain during the maintenance phase.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1177\/15578585261497921","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,22]],"date-time":"2026-10-22T07:02:11Z","timestamp":1792652531000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/sage-journals-update-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Factors Associated with the Evolution in Quality of Life and Volume During the Maintenance Phase After a Multidisciplinary Intensive Treatment Program in Patients with Lower Limb Lymphedema"],"prefix":"10.1177","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3826-5464","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"An-Kathleen","family":"Heroes","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Research Group Rehabilitation in Internal Disorders (GRID), KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium."},{"name":"Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Department of Vascular Surgery, Center for Lymphedema, University Hospital Leuven, Leuven, Belgium."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Tessa","family":"De Vrieze","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Research Group Rehabilitation in Internal Disorders (GRID), KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium."},{"name":"Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy (REVAKI), Research Group MOVANT, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Inge","family":"Fourneau","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, Research Unit Vascular Surgery, KU Leuven-University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sarah","family":"Thomis","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Department of Vascular Surgery, Center for Lymphedema, University Hospital Leuven, Leuven, Belgium."},{"name":"Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, Research Unit Vascular Surgery, KU Leuven-University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Laura","family":"Spincemaille","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Research Group Rehabilitation in Internal Disorders (GRID), KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium."},{"name":"Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Department of Vascular Surgery, Center for Lymphedema, University Hospital Leuven, Leuven, Belgium."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Beate","family":"Bechter-Hugl","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Department of Vascular Surgery, Center for Lymphedema, University Hospital Leuven, Leuven, Belgium."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Carol","family":"Swinnen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Department of Vascular Surgery, Center for Lymphedema, University Hospital Leuven, Leuven, Belgium."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Karen","family":"Geeroms","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Department of Vascular Surgery, Center for Lymphedema, University Hospital Leuven, Leuven, Belgium."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Karolien","family":"Vervloesem","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Department of Vascular Surgery, Center for Lymphedema, University Hospital Leuven, Leuven, Belgium."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jasmien","family":"Cools","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Department of Vascular Surgery, Center for Lymphedema, University Hospital Leuven, Leuven, Belgium."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Nele","family":"Devoogdt","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Research Group Rehabilitation in Internal Disorders (GRID), KU Leuven - 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