Clinical effectiveness of bioflavonoids in the treatment of secondary lower limb lymphedema

AIM: This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of the application of a combination of the preparation of micronized purified flavonoid fraction (MPFF) and elastic compression in patients with acquired lymphostasis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty patients with stage II secondary lower limb lymphedema according to М. Foeldi were included. The patients were divided into two groups through randomization with the envelope method. The first group (n = 30) was subjected to a conservative treatment (MPFF, 1000 mg/day) coupled with elastic compression (3rd class compression stockings). The second group was given compressive therapy (third-class compression stockings). The patients were physically examined through the measurement of the circumference of the limb at different levels. RESULTS: In the first group, the circumference of the lower third of the shin decreased by 8.15% (p = 0.005) after 1 month and by the end of treatment – by 10.6% (p < 0.001), of the middle third of shin – by 3.15% (p = 0.001) and 4.78% (p < 0.001), and of the upper third–by 4.08% (p < 0.001) and 5.99% (p < 0.001). By the end of the observation period (3 months), the circumference of the lower third of the shin in the second group (29.68 ± 4.67 cm) was significantly greater than that in the first group (26.65 ± 2.92 cm, p = 0.035). No adverse reactions were observed in the MPFF group. CONCLUSIONS: The volume of the lower limbs of patients with acquired lymphedema decreased after using a combination of MPFF and elastic compression to a larger extent than after the isolated use of elastic compression. Patients taking MPFF had a positive clinical effect without adverse reactions. Therefore, MPFF could be used in the pharmacotherapy of secondary lymphedema of the lower limbs.