Are you interested in participating in lipedema research? I’ve had numerous communications from people who would like to help further our knowledge about lipedema, so here are some studies that you may be able to either participate in yourself, or you may know someone who would be able to.
These studies are what is called asynchronous, meaning that participants can start and end at all different times, as long as they have completed their participation by the time the study ends. Some of the studies are testing interventions and some are just collecting data.
Here are four opportunities for research participation:
A Novel Approach to Examine the Adipose Cellular Kinetics of Lipedema
This study is located in Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, LA, with Ursula White as the primary investigator.
The purpose of this study is to examine adipose tissue composition and how it may be different in lipedema versus healthy controls or obesity using tissue biopsy.
They are looking for a total of 24 participants by March 2024. They are still recruiting.
To participate in this study, one must be 18 to 45 years of age, female, diagnosed with lipedema, and have a BMI of at least 50. On the other hand, some of the things that could exclude one from the study are heart, kidney, lung, thyroid or liver disease, pregnancy or breastfeeding in the next 3 months, partial and/or full hysterectomy, PCOS, HIV, hepatitis B or C diagnoses, and smoking or the use of tobacco products in the last 6 months.
Click here to find more information about this study.
The Norwegian LIPODIET Study: Effect of Ketosis on Pain and Quality of Life in Patients With Lipedema
This study takes place in Levanger Hospital of Levanger Norway, and in St. Olavs Hospital in Trondheim, Norway. They are also collaborating with Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Siren Nymo, Ph.D., of Nord-Trøndelag Hospital Trust, Namsos Hospital, Clinic of Surgery, leads this study as the principal investigator.
This study aims to compare the impact of a ketogenic diet and a standard Nordic diet on lipedema pain, weight loss, and quality of life in patients with lipedema.
They are looking for 81 participants before the study concludes in April 2023.
In order to participate, one must be diagnosed with lipedema by skilled physical therapists, have a BMI of 30 to 45, have a stable weight for the last three months (within 2 to 3 kg), not currently dieting to lose weight, have a mastery of a Scandinavian language, and willing to meet for follow-ups every second week during the intervention.
Some of the things that could exclude you from the study are pregnancy or breastfeeding, history of infectious diseases, having had bariatric surgery, kidney disease, history of psychological disorders, diabetes, or any disease that leads to dietary advice that is not consistent with intervention advice.
Click here to learn more about this study.
Effect of Weight Loss on Body Composition and Metabolic Function
This study is located at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, MO, USA. The principal investigator is Samuel Klein, MD.
Its purpose is to comprehensively examine the abdominal and femoral fat in lean and obese women with lipedema and evaluate the potential effect of diet-induced weight loss as a therapy.
They are looking for 20 participants before the study concludes in December 2023.
They will be conducting various tests to examine body composition, fat distribution, adipose tissue biology, and metabolic and immune function. It could take up to 30 hours. Participants will receive low-calorie diet therapy in the form of low-calorie meals or shakes.
If you wish to participate in this study, you must be 18 to 68 years of age, female, and diagnosed with lipedema. For lean women with lipedema, their BMI should be between 19.5 to 26, while women with obesity and lipedema should have a BMI of 30.0 to 50.0.
Some of the things that would exclude you from this study are menopause, previous bariatric surgery, type 2 diabetes, intense exercise more than twice a week, fluctuations in weight in the last 2 months (more than 4% change), severe pulmonary, kidney, or cardiovascular disease, active cancer or cancer that has been in remission for less than 5 years, polycystic ovary syndrome, major psychiatric illness, smoking more than 10 cigarettes per week, and pregnancy or breastfeeding.
If you are interested, you may click here to find more information about this study.
Evaluation of Neuropathic Pain in Lipedema
This study takes place at Dokuz Eylul University, Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation in Turkey, with Ebru Sahin, MD as the principal investigator.
The investigators would like to determine if lipedema pain is or is not neuropathic pain. They will be comparing a lipedema group with a group of participants who have neuropathic shoulder pain by using various questionnaires that look at pain, health profile, anxiety, and depression.
They are looking for 84 participants before the study concludes in June 2023 and are still recruiting.
In order to participate in the lipedema group, participants must be 18 to 65 years of age, female, and diagnosed with lipedema, whereas participants of the control group must be 18 to 65 years of age, female, and diagnosed with acute subacromial impingement syndrome.
Some of the things that would exclude one from this study would be type 1 or type 2 diabetes, uncontrolled thyroid dysfunction, CVI and/or lymphedema, acute or chronic renal failure, heart failure, cancer or continuing cancer treatment, polyneuropathy or radiculopathy diagnosis, advanced degenerative joint disease in a limb affected by lipedema, and/or cognitive impairment.
Click here to know more about this study.
Research about lipedema continues to grow. This gives us hope that one day, lipedema will no longer be little-known and misdiagnosed.
~Leslyn