ORIGINAL RESEARCH 268 Complex decongestant therapy with use of alternative material to reduce and control lymphedema in patients with endemic area of filariasis: a clinical trial Terapia complexa descongestiva com uso de material alternativo na redução e controle do linfedema em pacientes de área endêmica de flariose: um ensaio clínico Terapia compleja descongestiva con el empleo de material alternativo reduce y controla el linfedema en pacientes de zonas endémicas de flariasis: estudio clínico Helen Pereira dos Santos Soares 1 , Abraham Rocha 2 , Ana Maria Aguiar-Santos 2 , Benícia Santos Silva 1 , Cristiane Moutinho Lagos de Melo 1 , Maria do Amparo Andrade 3 Mailing address: Helen Pereira dos Santos Soares – Rua Ilinóis, 421, Jardim Novo – Goiânia (GO), Brazil – CEP: 74705-240 – Email: helenpsbrasil@hotmail.com – Funding source: PPR-002-Fio-12 Project (Management of Laboratory Networks and by Faculdade Estácio from Recife) – Confict of interests: Nothing to declare – Presentation: Oct. 2015 – Accepted for publication: Oct. 2016 – Approved by the Research Ethics Committee of Fundação Oswaldo Cruz from Pernambuco: 547.562. DOI: 10.1590/1809-2950/15476523032016 Study developed at the National Reference Service in Filarioses of Centro de Pesquisas Aggeu Magalhães of Fundação Oswaldo Cruz – Recife (PE), Brazil. 1 Faculdade Estácio do Recife – Recife (PE), Brasil. 2 National Reference Service in Filarioses, Centro de Pesquisas Aggeu Magalhães, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz - Recife (PE), Brazil. 3 Department of Physiotherapy, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco – Recife (PE), Brasil. ABSTRACT | Lymphatic flariasis puts billions of people around the world at risk. Despite this, little is known about the impact of chronic disease morbidity, such as lymphedema. The complex decongestant therapy is a gold standard for treating lymphedemas, but there are no viable protocols for implementation in developing countries. The objective of this clinical trial was to evaluate the efcacy of this technique with the use of alternative material and compare its efects on quality of life, functionality and body weight. The intervention and control groups were evaluated using perimetry and limb volume calculation, the Whoqol-bref quality of life questionnaire, the Functional and Mobility test of the lower limbs Timed Up and Go, and body weight assessment. The intervention group received the complex decongestant therapy twice a week for ten weeks, using an alternative material for the bandaging, made with cambric tissue, which presents low cost in relation to the imported bands. The control group received a lecture with information about the disease and care and hygiene guidelines of the members. The sample consisted of thirty patients with a mean age of 50.8 ± 10 years, 52.9% of whom were women. In the statistical analysis, Student’s t test, Multivariate analysis of variance, Wilcoxon test and Kolmogorov-Smirnov test were used. The signifcance was 5% (p<0.05). There was a signifcant reduction in lymphedema volume and 268 perimetry in the intervention group, and increased in the control group. The functionality did not show signifcant improvement in the evaluation by the Timed Up and Go test. The quality of life had signifcant improvement in the physical and environmental domains in the intervention group. The efect of treatment on body weight was also signifcant, presenting reduction in the control group and intergroups. Complex decongestant therapy was efective in reducing and controlling lymphedema and positively impacted, increasing the numerical values of the physical and environmental aspects of the quality of life of the intervention group. Keywords | Filariasis; Lymphatic Filariasis; Lymphedema; Quality of Life; Morbidity; Physiotherapy. RESUMO | A flariose linfática põe em risco bilhões de pessoas em todo o mundo. Apesar disso, pouco se sabe sobre o impacto da morbidade crônica da doença, como o linfedema. A terapia complexa descongestiva apresenta- se como padrão ouro para tratar linfedemas, mas ainda não existem protocolos viáveis para implementação em países em desenvolvimento. O objetivo deste ensaio clínico foi avaliar a efcácia dessa técnica, com o uso de material alternativo, e comparar seus efeitos na qualidade de vida, funcionalidade e peso corporal. Os grupos intervenção e controle foram avaliados por meio de perimetria e cálculo