[Hyperlipidemia with disseminated eruptive xanthomas and hyperglycemia caused by mental stress--a case report]

This article presents the case of a 36-year-old man who developed disseminated eruptive xanthomas, hyperlipidemia and hyperglycemia. The patient was exposed to strong mental stress. He was previously healthy and close family members did not show metabolic and cardiovascular diseases. After a short period of time, when the intensity of stress weakened, generalised eruptive xanthomas and metabolic disturbances completely resolved. Numerous studies have shown that psychosocial stresses lead to the disturbance of the metabolism of lipids, insulin resistance and eventually to cardiovascular diseases. The clinical signs of hyperlipidemia and especially eruptive xanthomas are rare but characteristic features of primary hyperlipidemias. Among secondary causes of hyperlipidemia, eruptive xanthomas are most often described in diabetics, usually localised on extensor surfaces, but generalised eruptive xanthomatosis is rarely the presenting feature of diabetes. The presenting case is most probably a very rare phenomenon of disseminated eruptive xanthomas and serious metabolic disturbances provoked by mental stress.