Factitial Weber-Christian disease: a case report

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Rheumatology
• Psychiatry

Background:

• Factitial diseases involve self-inflicted symptoms or conditions.
• Weber-Christian disease, or nodular nonsuppurative panniculitis, presents with inflammatory fat lesions.
• Distinguishing factitial causes from idiopathic conditions is clinically challenging.

Observation:

• A 28-year-old woman presented with constitutional symptoms including fevers and arthralgias.
• Physical examination revealed panniculitis, a form of skin inflammation affecting subcutaneous fat.
• The patient's condition was ultimately attributed to repeated subcutaneous injections of paint.

Findings:

• The case demonstrates a rare instance of factitial Weber-Christian disease.
• Self-induced dermatoses can mimic various systemic and rheumatologic disorders.
• The use of injected foreign materials, such as paint, can trigger inflammatory responses.

Implications:

• Clinicians should consider factitial causes in patients with obscure constitutional, musculoskeletal, and cutaneous findings.
• Understanding the psychodynamics of self-induced illnesses is crucial for diagnosis and management.
• Early recognition of self-inflicted conditions can prevent misdiagnosis and guide appropriate therapeutic interventions.