Comorbidity in patients with lobular panniculitis-lipodermatosclerosis

Lipodermatosclerosis (LDS) is one of the variants of lobular panniculitis. The onset of LDS falls on the age of 50–60 years, when many patients already have comorbid pathology requiring complex therapy, which affects the course, the choice of treatment and prognosis of LDS, as well as the quality of life.

Objective: to study the structure and frequency of comorbid conditions in patients with LDS.

Patients and methods. 53 patients (3 men and 50 women), 18–80 years old, with a verified diagnosis of LDS were included, all of them had an average follow up of 10 years (they were observed in the V.A. Nasonova Research Institute of Rheumatology). The duration of the disease ranged from 2 weeks to 20 years. During clinical examination, the localization, prevalence, color and number of affected skin areas and sub cutaneous fat were determined. The intensity of pain on palpation of the node was assessed using a visual analogue scale (VAS). Laboratory and instrumental research included: blood and urine tests, computed tomography of the chest and ultrasound Doppler of the lower extremities with registration of the linear blood flow velocity in the affected veins (femoral, popliteal, posterior tibial, foot veins). Clinical, laboratory and instrumental examination of patients was carried out 2 times a year. The CIRS and Charlson indices were used to assess the relationship between comorbid pathology and LDS.

Results and discussion. Most patients (60.3%) were women with increased body weight (91.5±21.8 kg). Depending on the duration of the disease, the main variants of the LDS course were: acute (<3 months), subacute (3–6 months), and chronic (>6 months). Skin changes were associated with polyarthralgia (34%) and/or myalgia (22.6%), mainly on the side of the affected limb. In 16 patients, an increase in ESR, on average 23.8±7.8 mm per hour, was detected, in 7 patients, including 4 with an acute course of LDS, – more than a threefold increase in the level of CRP. No comorbid diseases had 17 patients, 64.7% of them were under 50 years and had an acute course of LDS (p=0.02). In 68% of patients, mainly with chronic LDS, the following concomitant diseases was recorded: chronic venous insufficiency (CVI; in 67.9%); exogenous constitutional obesity (in 60.3%); rheumatic diseases (45.2%), including osteoarthritis (75%), rheumatoid arthritis (17%), antiphospholipid syndrome (8%), and arterial hypertension (39.6%). Most patients had 1 concomitant disease, and almost one fifth of patients had 2 concomitant diseases. The proportion of patients with 3 comorbid pathologies was 11.1%, with 4 – 8.3% and with 5 – 5.5%. When assessing the Charlson index, a 10-year survival rate of >90% (index values from 0 to 2 points) was observed in 66% of patients, 53–77% (3–4 points) – in 26.4% and <21% (≥5 points) – in 7.5%. There was correlation between the comorbidity index and the age of patients (r=0.8, p<0.05); no association with the duration of LDS was found (r=0.3, p=0.2). Patients over 61 years had ≥1 comorbid disease. The average CIRS index for this group was 4.2±0.3 points (0–10), in most patients (45.2%) it was <5 points. Analysis of the Charlson and CIRS scales confirmed their statistically significant relationship (r=0.5, p=0.0000001).

Conclusion. In patients with LDS, a high incidence of comorbid pathology was noted. Interdisciplinary approach with interaction between doctors of different specialties is required for treatment of these patients.

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