[Symetric lipomatosis of the hands]

We report a case of symmetric lipomatosis in an unusual palmary topography.

A 56 year-old woman was referred for evaluation of scleroderma. The diagnosis was made 10 years earlier because of acrosclerosis of the distal phalanges of both hands. The disease began 2 months after administration of systemic steroids for severe asthma. Since then, she was followed up for her scleroderma every 2 years without any evidence of systematization of the disease. On examination, the first phalanges appeared protruding and podgy on the palms of both hands. On palpation, the consistence was suggestive of lipomas. Similar nodules were present on the back of both hands at the proximal part of the interdigital spaces. Tomodensitometry confirmed the lipomatous nature of nodules.

This patient presented with a symmetric lipomatosis of a very unusual distal localization on both hands. This unusual aspect mimicked acrosclerosis. In this case report, chronology suggests that systemic steroids might have induced this lipohypertrophy.