Monitoring the Changes of Upper Limb Water in Breast Cancer Patients by Segmental Multi-Frequency Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis

BACKGROUND: Our study aims to investigate the role of segmental multi-frequency bioelectrical impedance analysis (SMF-BIA) in the monitoring of upper limb water changes of patients with breast cancer before and after surgery to aid in establishing a new approach to preventing lymphedema. MATERIAL/METHODS: This study included 442 female patients with breast cancer. We used SMF-BIA to monitor changes in body composition. Data were collected 1 day before surgery and 7 days and 3 months after surgery. RESULTS: The average body mass index (BMI) of patients was normal but, in 22.8% of patients, the percentage of body fat exceeded the average, which is known as invisible obesity. Moreover, the weight, BMI, basal metabolic rate, inorganic salt content, muscle content, total body water, and extracellular water of patients increased 7 days after surgery (P<0.05), but recovered to preoperative levels within 3 months. In addition, protein content, skeletal muscle content, and intracellular water increased 7 days after surgery, but decreased within 3 months to even lower levels than before surgery (P<0.05). The extracellular water and total body water ratios increased continuously within the 3 months after surgery. Finally, the segmental water ratio of the healthy and affected upper limbs increased, while the bioelectrical impedance value decreased; however, they were still within the normal range. CONCLUSIONS: SMF-BIA monitoring may provide more detailed information for making individual nursing care plans in patients with breast cancer. Further studies with long-term follow-up are urgently needed to establishment a lymphedema risk predictive model.