[Pfeifer-Weber-Christian panniculitis (PWCP). Description of a case and review of the literature].

We report on a case of Pfeifer-Weber-Christian panniculitis (PWCP) in a 40 year old woman. PWCP is a rare inflammatory disorder of the subcutaneous fatty tissue. It is characterized by painful relapsing, subcutaneous nodules occurring preferentially at the upper arm, thigh and trunk regions. The disease is often accompanied by recurrent temperatures and constitutional symptoms. The clinical course of our patient had already lasted for four years when we saw her for the first time. Besides local panniculitis of the arms and the trunk she suffered from recurrent temperatures. Antibiotics and/or antiinflammatory therapy failed to control the disease. Laboratory tests and chest X-ray did not reveal noteworthy pathological results. PWCP was proven histologically and distinguished from other soft tissue disorders. The findings are discussed in the context of previous reports. The etiopathology of PWCP remains unclear and a specific therapy still awaits introduction.