Extra cellular water and increase in capillary permeability to albumin in overweight women with swelling syndrome.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate extracellular water (ECW) in the recumbent and the upright position, in overweight and lean women with swelling syndrome, and to correlate the excess in ECW with an increase in capillary filtration of albumin (CFA).

METHODS

Fifty-one women with a swelling syndrome were investigated, 26 of whom were overweight.

METHODS

ECW was measured by the bioelectrical impedance method, in the recumbent position and again after a postural test which consisted of walking around for 30 min. CFA was studied by an isotopic test using 99m technetium-labelled albumin.

RESULTS

ECW increased (>107% of the theoretical value) in 22 of the 26 overweight patients and 23 of the 25 lean patients. The CFA isotopic test was abnormal in half (11/22) of the overweight patients with increased ECW and in three of the four overweight patients with a normal ECW value. It was abnormal in 18 of the 23 lean patients with increased ECW and in the two lean patients with a normal ECW value. During the postural test, a significant (by> or =4%) increase in ECW occurred in a higher proportion of overweight patients tested (14/22) than among the lean women tested (0/5; P=0. 04).

CONCLUSIONS

The swelling syndrome is indeed related to an increase in ECW in lean and overweight subjects and to a further increase in ECW after a postural test only in the overweight patients. It is also associated with microcirculatory disorders in most of the lean patients who complain of swelling and in only half of the overweight patients with the same complaints, which suggests that other factors (e.g. hormonal disorders) may be involved in the overweight patients. International Journal of Obesity (2000)24, 126-130