The Effect of Lipedema on Knee Osteoarthritis
For patients and families
In plain language
An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.
- What is being studied
- This is an observational study: the protocol does not assign a study treatment.
- Who it may be relevant to
- Registry conditions: Lipedema, Knee Osteoarthritis, Knee Acute and Chronic Pain, Knee. Basic parameters: 30 years — 65 years · Female.
- What needs checking
- Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
- Where it takes place
- Turkey (Türkiye)
- Next step
- Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →
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Official title
The Effect of Lipedema on Knee Osteoarthritis: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Clinical Symptoms and Ultrasonographic Findings
Overview
This study will be one of the few to examine the effect of lipedema on knee osteoarthritis in a comparative manner with a control group within the same osteoarthritis context. Although the relationship between obesity and osteoarthritis has been extensively studied in the literature, the effect of specific adipose tissue pathologies, such as lipedema, on osteoarthritis has not been sufficiently investigated. This study aims to demonstrate the independent effect of lipedema on osteoarthritis, evaluate clinical and ultrasonographic parameters together, and contribute to early diagnosis and targeted rehabilitation strategies.
Primary outcome measures
- Ultrasonography-based measurements of femoral cartilage thickness [Time frame: Day 1]
Secondary outcome measures (11)
- Western Ontario and McMaster Universities (WOMAC) score [Time frame: Day 1]
- Visual analog scale [Time frame: Day 1]
- Joint Range of Motion measurement [Time frame: Day 1]
- Kellgren-Lawrence Classification [Time frame: Day 1]
- Assessment of osteophytes via ultrasonography [Time frame: Day 1]
- Assessment of synovial hypertrophy via ultrasonography [Time frame: Day 1]
- Assessment of synovial effusion via ultrasonography [Time frame: Day 1]
- Assessment of meniscal protrusions via ultrasonography [Time frame: Day 1]
- Ultrasonography-based measurements of quadriceps muscle thickness [Time frame: Day 1]
- Ultrasonography-based measurements of quadriceps tendon thickness [Time frame: Day 1]
- Ultrasonography-based measurements of patellar tendon thickness [Time frame: Day 1]
Eligibility criteria
Inclusion criteria
All participants (Group 1 + Group 2)
- Women aged 30-65
- With a clinical and radiological diagnosis of knee osteoarthritis
- Who agreed to participate in the study
Group 1 (knee osteoarthritis with lipedema):
- Patients who meet the Wold criteria for a clinical diagnosis of lipedema
- An increase in subcutaneous fat thickness confirmed by ultrasound
Group 2 (knee osteoarthritis without lipedema):
- No diagnosis of lipedema
- Exclusion of lymphedema and venous diseases
Exclusion criteria
- Inflammatory arthritis
- History of knee surgery
- Intra-articular injection within the past 6 months
- Acute trauma
- Systemic connective tissue disease
- Severe venous insufficiency or lymphedema
- History of malignancy
- Use of gabapentinoids/SNRIs/SSRIs due to fibromyalgia or psychiatric illness
- Severe cognitive impairment or communication problems that would prevent participation in the study
- Pregnancy
- Participants who were informed about the study and refused to participate
Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.
Healthy volunteers: No
Study design
- Observational model
- Cohort
Study locations
Turkey (Türkiye) · 2 centers
- Izmir Democracy University — Izmir
- Izmir Democracy University — Izmir
Identifiers
NCT: NCT07575555 · 2026/26