Lipodermatosclerosis: review of cases evaluated at Mayo Clinic.
BACKGROUND
Lipodermatosclerosis describes bound-down, sclerotic skin involving the lower extremities.


OBJECTIVE
Our purpose was to describe the demographic and clinical features of patients with lipodermatosclerosis.


METHODS
This was a retrospective study of patients presenting to Mayo Clinic between 1976 and 1998 with a diagnosis of lipodermatosclerosis.


RESULTS
Of 97 patients, 84 (87%) were women. Mean age was 62 years (range, 25-88 years). Mean body mass index was 34.3 (range, 17.8-71.5). Clinical signs were bilateral involvement in 44 patients (45%), induration localized to a discrete plaque in 49 (51%), erythema in 69 (71%), hyperpigmentation in 57 (59%), ulceration in 13 (13%), concomitant edema in 69 (71%), and varicosities in 55 (57%). Vascular studies performed on 72 patients showed abnormalities in 49: deep venous incompetence in 33 (67%), calf muscle pump abnormality in 19 (39%), abnormal pulsatility in 10 (20%), and obstruction in 1 (2%).


CONCLUSIONS
Lipodermatosclerosis was associated with female sex, middle age, high body mass index, and venous abnormalities.
Bruce
Alison J
AJ
Department of Dermatology, Mayo Clinic and Mayo Foundation, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
Bennett
Daniel D
DD
Lohse
Christine M
CM
Rooke
Thom W
TW
Davis
Mark D P
MD
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008910:Minnesota / Q000453:epidemiology; D011379:Prognosis; D012042:Registries; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012594:Scleroderma, Localized / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D017678:Sex Distribution