THE CLINICAL SPECTRUM OF LIPOATROPHIC PANNICULITIS ENCOMPASSES CONNECTIVE-TISSUE PANNICULITIS

Two patients with widespread, chronic, relapsing panniculitis resultin g in disfiguring lipoatrophy are reported. Histology in both cases sho wed a mixed septal and lobular panniculitis, with lipophagia. The clin ical appearance and histology suggested a diagnosis of lipoatrophic pa nniculitis. Both cases had features of connective tissue panniculitis, which is likely to be a subtype of this condition. Treatment of lipoa trophic panniculitis can be difficult. Our first patient initially res ponded well to antimalarial therapy. allowing plastic surgical repair of the defects to be carried out.