Lipedema in Men: A Retrospective Case Series of Five Patients From a Brazilian Referral Center

Lipedema is a chronic adipose tissue disorder traditionally considered to affect almost exclusively women, with recent estimates suggesting approximately 0.2% prevalence in men worldwide; the condition remains underdiagnosed in males due to limited awareness and scarce literature. This retrospective case series from the Amato Institute of Advanced Medicine in São Paulo, Brazil, describes clinical characteristics, diagnostic findings, and treatment outcomes of five male patients diagnosed with lipedema between January 2022 and December 2024. The patients, aged 31-58 years (mean, 42.6 ± 9.7), with a BMI of 29-42.4 kg/m², all presented bilateral, symmetrical lower extremity fat accumulation, sparing the feet, with endocrine comorbidities present in 80% of cases and one participant testing positive for HLA-DQ2/DQ8. Diagnosis was based on clinical criteria requiring bilateral symmetrical fat accumulation, disproportionate fat distribution, negative Stemmer’s sign, sparing of feet, and at least two minor criteria. Conservative management, including dietary interventions over four to eight weeks, resulted in mean weight reduction of 7.0 ± 2.2 kg and lower limb volume reduction of 2.5 ± 1.1 L. These findings demonstrate that lipedema occurs in men with classical phenotypic features, and the presence of HLA-DQ2/DQ8 markers in some cases suggests potential autoimmune components and opportunities for targeted dietary interventions. Conservative management yields significant short-term improvements, warranting larger prospective studies to establish prevalence, investigate HLA associations, and optimize management strategies for male lipedema.

Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC