Lipoatrophic panniculitis of children.

Idiopathic lipoatrophic panniculitis of children is a rare disease of childhood, characterized by repeated attacks of tender subcutaneous nodules followed by the development of permanent lipoatrophy, often seen on the arms and legs, in association with fever, malaise, and other less common clinical manifestations such as abdominal pain or arthralgia. The pathogenesis is unknown, and autoimmune origins, chromosomal alterations, and other causes have been proposed. The nosology of this condition is confusing in the literature, and the precise diagnosis still relies on a combination of clinicopathologic and laboratory assessments. Methotrexate may be recommended to minimize disease progression and morbidity.