Clinical Characterisation and Comorbidities of Acquired Generalised Lipodystrophy: A 14-Year Follow-Up Study

Abstract

Acquired generalised lipodystrophy (AGL) is a rare disorder characterised by the gradual loss of fat that tends to generalise over time, the origin of which is still not fully clarified. The aim of this study was to offer a detailed description of seven patients with AGL (five women, 33.8 ± 18.6 years of age), evaluated over the last 14 years, in order to augment the knowledge of this disorder. The onset of the phenotype occurred during childhood and adolescence in five cases, and in adulthood in two cases. Three patients reported infections or vaccine administration prior to the development of lipodystrophy, and two subjects reported nodular swelling. The most frequent physical features were phlebomegaly, umbilical protrusion/hernia, and acanthosis nigricans. Skinfolds and body composition analysis showed the generalised absence of fat, with the exception of one patient in whom fat loss was spared in the trunk. The loss of fat in the palms/soles was observed in five subjects. Regarding metabolic comorbidities, throughout follow-up, two patients developed type 1 diabetes and one type 2 diabetes; three also presented hypertriglyceridaemia, one of whom developed acute pancreatitis, and no macrovascular complications were observed. Only one patient showed decreased complement C4. Autoimmunity was present in all cases, and six patients manifested Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, type 1 diabetes, autoimmune hepatitis, and/or celiac disease. Thus, there are certain clinical characteristics of AGL that may be considered important diagnostic criteria to differentiate this disorder from other lipodystrophy subtypes.