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%). Conclusion: Lipodermatosclerosis was associated with female sex, middle age, high body mass index, and venous abnormalities.