BACKGROUND: Presence of evening edema of lower limbs in normal individuals after a regular working shift has been shown in the national and international literature. Formation rhythm and accumulation of this type of edema vary according to different work shifts. OBJECTIVE: Edema of the legs has been described after regular work shifts and is a common complaint in vascular practice. The objective of this study was to evaluate the evolution of edema in apparently normal individuals during distinct work shifts. METHOD: Volumetric assessments of both legs were performed in 20 healthcare professionals at São Marcos Hospital and Maternidade in Maringá, Brazil. Individuals were selected on a consecutive basis with water displacement volumetry being performed at 7:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Student's t test was used for statistical analysis with an alpha error of 5% being considered acceptable. RESULTS: The study group consisted of 19 women and one man with ages ranging from 20 to 53 years old. The participants had no evidence of venous diseases of the lower limbs and were C0 or C1 according to the CEAP classification (C = clinical, E = etiology, A = anatomy, P = pathophysiology). Significant increases in the volume of both legs were seen after both shifts (p = 0.0001 in both cases). The greatest variation occurred during the morning with a mean ± standard deviation of 107.2±63.5 mL, while in the afternoon mean increase was 44.5±35.4 mL. CONCLUSION: Edema is constant in work activities, even in individuals without obvious venous diseases, and is influenced by work shift.
Edema; venous insufficiency; physiology of work; work shift
