Table 1

Profile of patients
Variable
 Number (n = 413)
 Percent
Age (years)

     ≤ 35
 56
 13.6
     35.1–50
 131
 31.7
     50.1–65
 168
 40.7
     > 65
 58
 14.0
Sex

     Male
 114
 27.6
     Female
 299
 72.4
Marital status

     Married
 353
 85.5
     Single
 60
 14.5
Educational level

     No schooling
 16
 3.9
     Grades 1–5
 68
 16.5
     Grades 6–11
 271
 65.6
     A' level
 43
 10.4
     Tertiary education
 15
 3.6
Monthly Income (Rs)α

     < 5,000
 63
 39.6
     5,001 – 10,000
 56
 35.2
     10,001 – 20,000
 29
 18.2
     > 20,001
 11
 6.9
Occupation

     Professional, technical and related workers
 14
 3.4
     Administrative and Managerial workers
 3
 0.7
     Clerical and related workers
 7
 1.7
     Sales workers
 55
 13.3
     Service workers
 30
 7.3
     Agricultural, animal husbandry, forestry, fishermen and hunters
 6
 1.5
     Production, transport equipment operators and labourers
 48
 11.6
     Armed forces personnel
 4
 0.9
     Workers not reporting any occupation
 49
 11.9
     Students
 5
 1.2
     Housewives
 192
 46.5
Site of lymphoedemaβ

     Right lower limb
 210
 50.8
     Left lower limb
 245
 59.3
     Right upper limb
 20
 4.8
     Left upper limb
 17
 4.1
Lymphoedema Gradeβ

     Grade I
 170
 41.2
     Grade II
 205
 49.6
     Grade III
 92
 22.3
     Grade IV
 25
 6.1
Duration of lymphoedema (years)

     ≤ 1
 42
 10.2
     1–5
 115
 27.8
     ≥ 5
 256
 62.0

α There were 167 employed in paid jobs but only 159 of them reported their earned income.

β 81 patients had lymphoedema of more than one limb

Wijesinghe et al. Filaria Journal 2007 6:4   doi:10.1186/1475-2883-6-4