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This is a PatientPlus article. PatientPlus articles are written for doctors and so the language can be technical, however some people find that they add depth to the patient information leaflets. You may find the abbreviations record helpful.

Leg swelling must never be assumed to be due to peripheral oedema. A definite diagnosis of the underlying cause must be made and a careful history and examination, along with appropriate confirmatory tests, is essential. Swelling of the legs may be either unilateral or bilateral:

  • Bilateral swelling is usually due to systemic conditions, e.g. cardiac failure, and unilateral is often due to local trauma, venous disease or lymphatic disease.
  • Unilateral leg swelling is more often due to local causes, e.g. deep vein thrombosis, but bilateral swelling from systemic causes may be much more obvious on one side than the other, and therefore appears to be unilateral swelling.
Causes
Presentation

The nature of the presentation will give essential clues in establishing the diagnosis in terms of whether unilateral or bilateral, speed of onset (see list of causes above) and associated symptoms, e.g.:

  • Orthopnoea, paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnoea: Heart failure
  • Diarrhoea or other bowel dysfunction: Protein-losing enteropathy
  • Painful swollen calf: deep vein thrombosis or inflammation, e.g. cellulitis, osteomyelitis
  • Pigmentation: Venous insufficiency
  • Immobility
  • Periorbital oedema: Renal failure
  • Pelvic mass or pregnancy
Investigations
  • Urinalysis: Proteinuria suggests renal cause
  • Full blood count: High white cell count in infection; anaemia
  • Biochemistry: Renal function and electrolytes (raised creatinine in renal failure); liver function tests (impaired liver function and associated low albumin); glucose (infection associated with diabetes); thyroid function tests (hypothyroidism)
  • Clotting screen: Abnormal clotting associated with spontaneous haematoma
  • Chest X-ray: Pulmonary oedema
  • D-dimer blood test: D-dimers are products of fibrin degradation and are raised in patients with venous thromboembolism. Sensitivity of the test is high but specificity is poor.
  • ECG: Heart failure
  • Ultrasound, CT scan: Haematoma, tumour, abdominal or pelvic mass
  • Duplex Doppler, venography: Deep vein thrombosis, arteriovenous fistula
  • Lymphangiography: Demonstrate cause of lymphoedema and whether due to hypoplasia or obstruction
  • Lymph node biopsy: Infection, tumour
  • Other investigations may include renal biopsy, echocardiogram
Management

Management is directed at identification and treatment of the underlying cause.


Internet and further reading Acknowledgements EMIS is grateful to Dr Colin Tidy for writing this article. The final copy has passed scrutiny by the independent Mentor GP reviewing team. ©EMIS 2009.
Document ID: 2826
Document Version: 21
Document Reference: bgp182
Last Updated: 15 Jun 2009
Planned Review: 15 Jun 2011

The authors and editors of this article are employed to create accurate and up to date content reflecting reliable research evidence, guidance and best clinical practice. They are free from any commercial conflicts of interest. Find out more about updating.

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