A CLINICAL AND HISTOPATHOLOGICAL STUDY OF 22 PATIENTS WITH MEMBRANOUSLIPODYSTROPHY

Membranous lipodystrophy, an uncommon disorder, was described by Nasu et al. in 1973 as a form of regressive degeneration or localized destr uction of the adipose tissue.(1) Clinical features of the lesions with membranous fat necrosis are variable and the condition can only be di agnosed histopathologically. These peculiar changes in fat tissue have been associated with many local and systemic diseases including lupus erythematosus, diabetes mellitus, erythema nodosum, stasis dermatitis , morphoea and trauma, but occasionally no underlying disease is found . Even though various hypotheses concerning the pathogenesis of membra nous lipodystrophy have been proposed, the exact causes are still in d ispute.(2-4) We reviewed 22 patients having membranous lipodystrophy c onfirmed by biopsy and discuss the pathogenetic mechanisms which have been suggested by many authors.