Lipodystrophy syndrome(s)

November 2001     View PDF     En español

Working definition of lipodystrophy

A June 1999 meeting held in San Diego led to one working definition of lipodystrophy that includes at least one of the following. This is not a complete list as other changes in fat redistribution may not have yet been reported.

• Sunken cheeks in the face
• Increase of fat in the face
• Prominent veins in the legs (not associated with heavy exercise or muscle building routines)
• Loss of fat in the legs and arms
• Loss of shape in the buttocks
• Increase in fat around the gut (called truncal or central obesity. This is not the soft fat deposit under the skin that is associated with ageing, but a rapid increase in girth caused by the accumulation of hard fat deposits behind the abdominal muscles)
• Breast enlargement
• Fat pad on back of neck (sometimes called buffalo hump)
• Lipomas (fatty growths in different parts of the body)

Some scientific groups have their own definitions that may differ slightly or require multiple symptoms and/or lab abnormalities. Until one common definition is accepted, it will be difficult to calculate the actual incidence level of this problem or what works best in treating it.