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From the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago in Ill (Dr Rivers) and the Kansas City (Mo) University of Medicine and Biosciences College of Osteopathic Medicine's Departments of Family Medicine (Dr Treffer) and Behavioral Sciences (Dr Glaros) as well as its Division of Research (Ms Williams). Dr Rivers was a predoctoral Osteopathic Principles and Practices Fellow at Henry Ford Macomb-Clinton Hospital in Clinton Township, Mich, at the time of the study.

Address correspondence to William Evan Rivers, DO, Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, Medical Education Department, 345 E Superior St, Chicago, IL 60611-2654. E-mail: williamevanrivers{at}gmail.com

Context: Research into the physiologic effects of osteopathic lymphatic techniques has been somewhat limited.

Objective: To assess the short-term hematologic and hemodynamic effects of a comprehensive lymphatic treatment protocol.

Methods: Randomized crossover design that included 10-minute lymphatic treatment and rest (control) protocols delivered 1 week apart for a small pilot group of healthy men (N=15). At baseline, albumin, hematocrit, hemoglobin platelet count, total protein, and white blood cell count were measured, as were systolic and diastolic blood pressure. All measures were repeated 20, 50, and 80 minutes after baseline data were gathered.

Results: Significant condition x time interaction effects were observed for all subjects, indicating a decrease in hemoglobin platelet counts and an increase in diastolic blood pressure during the lymphatic treatment protocol. Statistically significant differences by time were observed in all hemotologic measures and in systolic blood pressure. No adverse events or complications from the treatment protocol were observed in this population.

Conclusion: Lymphatic techniques may decrease platelet counts and increase diastolic blood pressure during the first hour after treatment. (ClinicalTrials.gov number NCT 00742989)