Development of a questionnaire and screening model for lipedema

BACKGROUND: Lipedema is greatly underdiagnosed and there is a lack of low-cost tools to facilitate diagnostic. We created a lipedema screening questionnaire based on a questionnaire for assessing symptoms. OBJECTIVES: The study objectives were to identify relevant clinical questions, develop a screening questionnaire, and construct a model for predicting lipedema. METHOD: A simplified questionnaire was constructed and administered to a sample of patients with and without lipedema and then the probability of correct diagnosis was analyzed. RESULTS: All 109 patients who answered the questionnaire were female and all of them understood the questions. A predictive model using individual question scores achieved an excellent probability of correct diagnosis, at 91.2%, and a predictive model based on total score also achieved a good probability of correct diagnosis, at 86.15%. CONCLUSIONS: The lipedema screening questionnaire is a practical instrument that is quick and easy to administer and can be used with our population for identification of possible lipedema patients, raising the level of suspicion when taking a patient’s history and conducting a physical examination.