Thick legs - not always lipedema.

Resource type
Authors/contributors
Title
Thick legs - not always lipedema.
Abstract
Due to its increased presence in the press and on television, the diagnosis of lipedema is on the way to becoming a trendy diagnosis for those with thick legs. Despite this, one must recognize that lipedema is a very rare disease. It is characterized by disproportional obesity of the extremities, especially in the region of the hip and the legs, hematoma development after minimal trauma, and increased pressure-induced or spontaneous pain. Aids for making the correct diagnosis are (duplex) sonography, the waist-hip index or the waist-height index and lymphoscintigraphy. Important differential diagnoses are constitutional variability of the legs, lipohypertrophy in obesity, edema in immobility, edema in chronic venous insufficiency and rheumatic diseases. The symptom-based therapy of lipedema consists of conservative (compression, manual lymphatic drainage, exercise) and surgical treatments (liposuction). Until now there is no curative therapy. Obesity is an important risk factor for the severity and prognosis of lipedema. Further studies for a better understanding of the pathogenesis of lipedema and in the end possible curative treatments are urgently needed.
Publication
Journal der Deutschen Dermatologischen Gesellschaft = Journal of the German Society of Dermatology : JDDG
Volume
11
Issue
3
Pages
225-233
Date
2013 Mar
Journal Abbr
J Dtsch Dermatol Ges
Language
eng
ISSN
1610-0387 1610-0379
Rights
© The Authors | Journal compilation © Blackwell Verlag GmbH, Berlin.
Extra
Place: Germany
Citation
Reich-Schupke, S., Altmeyer, P., & Stücker, M. (2013). Thick legs - not always lipedema. Journal Der Deutschen Dermatologischen Gesellschaft = Journal of the German Society  of Dermatology : JDDG, 11(3), 225–233. https://doi.org/10.1111/ddg.12024
Publication