Abstract
It is indeed a privilege for Lymphatic Research and Biology to disseminate, in written form, the evolving insights provided by LIMPRINT, a project of the International Lymphoedema Framework. The scope and the impact of this study are extraordinary, insofar as the project highlights both the severity and the international scope entrained within the problem of chronic edema.
In the first LIMPRINT dedicated issue, 1 the topics were indeed far reaching, encompassing not only a validation of the study's methodology, 2 but also the extraordinary impact of chronic edema upon symptomatology, sociological implications, prevalence in the hospital setting, quality of life, and the pediatric experience.3–11 In addition, the international scope of the LIMPRINT project was underscored by the reported national experience of a range of countries, including the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Denmark, Japan, and Turkey.12–18
The current collection of investigations is no less remarkable. Here, we are provided with insights into the knowledge gaps surrounding chronic edema, the cost and quality-of-life implications of decongestive therapy for these patients, the international perspective on predictive factors for the therapeutic responses to intervention, the impact of bariatric disease, incidence of cellulitis in relation to specialist access, and extensions of the prior insights into the pediatric experience. The international scope of the project is broadened here by contributions from colleagues in Italy and Ireland.
This is indeed an ambitious project with an extraordinary impact upon an often-neglected field of clinical practice. It is with great pride that we are able to provide the fruits of these labors to the readership of Lymphatic Research and Biology.