Faculty Bibliography

Lipomas are common benign neoplasms of adipose tissue. Lipomatosis, the progressive appearance of multiple lipomas, is most often associated with specific congenital, familial, or idiopathic syndromes. In one reported case, the development of multiple lipomas occurred as a result of treatment with rosiglitazone, a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) gamma agonist. We report a second case of lipomatosis occurring as a result of treatment with a PPAR gamma agonist. This case occurred in a 77-year-old woman who developed multiple lipomas two years after beginning treatment with pioglitazone, a PPAR gamma agonist. Histopathologic examination confirmed these lesions to be lipomas. Within four weeks of discontinuation of pioglitazone, regression of the lipomas began. We describe a case of PPAR agonist-induced lipoma formation, review relevant literature, and provide a molecular mechanism for this side effect.