Published online Sep 26, 2021. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v9.i27.8199
Peer-review started: April 28, 2021
First decision: June 6, 2021
Revised: June 17, 2021
Accepted: August 31, 2021
Article in press: August 31, 2021
Published online: September 26, 2021
Madelung’s disease (MD) is a rare disorder of lipid metabolism, characterized by the growth of unencapsulated masses of adipose tissue symmetrically deposited around the neck, shoulders, or other sites around the body. Its pathological mechanism is not yet known. One of the most common comorbidities in MD patients is liver disease, especially chronic alcoholic liver disease (CALD); however, no reports exist of acute kidney injury (AKI) with MD.
We report a 60-year-old man who presented with complaint of edema in the lower limbs that had persisted for 3 d. Physical examination showed subcutaneous masses around the neck, and history-taking revealed the masses to have been present for 2 years and long-term heavy drinking. Considering the clinical symptoms, along with various laboratory test results and imaging characteristics, a diagnosis was made of MD with acute exacerbation of CALD and AKI. The patient was treated with liver function protection and traditional Chinese medicine, without surgical intervention. He was advised to quit drinking. After 10 d, the edema had subsided, renal function indicators returned to normal, liver function significantly improved, and size of subcutaneous masses remained stable.
In MD, concomitant liver or kidney complications are possible and monitoring of liver and kidney functions can be beneficial.
Core Tip: Madelung’s disease (MD) is a rare disorder of lipid metabolism, characterized by symmetrically deposited unencapsulated masses of adipose tissue. Liver disease is one of the most common comorbidities of MD, but no reports exist of comorbid kidney disease. Here, we report a male patient, 60 years of age, diagnosed as MD with acute exacerbation of chronic alcoholic liver disease and acute kidney injury. This case reminds us that in the diagnosis and treatment of MD, in addition to the known liver comorbidities, we also need to consider renal function in order to detect any concomitant kidney disease.