Journal of AIDS & Clinical Research

Back Pain in HIV-Infected Patients May Be Due to Spinal Epidural Lipomatosis

Abstract

Antoine Moulignier, Matthieu Lafaurie, Julien Savatovsky, Marie-Laure Dubreuil-Lemaire and Cédric Lamirel

Spinal epidural lipomatosis (SEL) is an abnormal accumulation of normal adipose tissue in the extradural space within the spinal canal that can lead to notable spinal cord compression. It is most commonly reported in patients receiving chronic glucocor¬ticoids. Other causes can include obesity and hypercortisolism. Unusually, SEL may occur in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients, and has been attributed to the lipodystrophy and altered fat metabolism associated with antiretrovirals. We describe a 56-year-old, HIV-infected, non-obese woman with satisfactory immunovirological indices on combined antiretroviral therapy who developed debilitating back pain initially attributed to osteoarthritis. A thorough neurological work-up with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) led to the diagnosis of rapidly progressive SEL that was not associated with any of its common etiologies.