Localized lipoatrophy after prolonged treatment with copolymer 1

Localized panniculitis secondary to subcutaneous glatiramer acetate injections for the treatment of multiple sclerosis: A clinicopathologic and immunohistochemical study

“…8 In a few cases, lipoatrophy at the sites of injection has also been described. [3][4][5][6][7] Drago et al 3 were the first authors pointing out localized lipoatrophy at the sites of subcutaneous injections in 6 female patients with multiple sclerosis receiving treatment with glatiramer acetate. They reported that the lesions developed without any preceding inflammation and the overlying skin did not exhibit inflammation, sclerosis, or hyperpigmentation.…”

“…A more rare adverse effect is a frank panniculitis followed by localized lipoatrophy at the injection sites, which has been described only in a few patients receiving treatment with glatiramer acetate injections. [3][4][5][6][7] In those reports, the authors only described ''lipoatrophy,'' in some cases even without histopathologic study of the lesions, 5,7 and in others with vague histopathologic descriptions of ''inflammatory infiltrate involving the subcutaneous tissue.'' 3,4,6 We report a series of 7 patients who developed localized panniculitis at the sites of subcutaneous injections of glatiramer acetate for treatment of multiple sclerosis.…”

Lipoatrophy: a non–reversible complication of subcutaneous interferon–beta 1a treatment of multiple sclerosis

“…This was also the case for our patients who had no sign of abdominal lipoatrophy. The side effect seems to be mostly a female complication as only one patient of male gender has been reported [5]. This female predisposition has also been found in skin necroses; the overall sex ratio 8:1 female: male occurs in one report [3].…”

Cutaneous adverse events associated with disease-modifying treatment in multiple sclerosis: a systematic review

“…12 A larger, cross-sectional study from a single outpatient MS clinic in Canada found that 45% (34 out of 76) of patients with GA therapy had developed lipoatrophy after, on average, 2.4 years of treatment. 56 Another Canadian study assessed 100 consecutive patients receiving MS treatment, and reported 9 (64%) out of 14 patients treated with GA who had developed lipoatrophy.…”

“…9,10 Next to these usually transient injection-site reactions, more severe and persisting cutaneous complications to DMTs may occur, such as lipoatrophy and skin necrosis and ulcers. 11,12 Cutaneous adverse events to DMTs can have important clinical implications as they may be associated with reduced treatment adherence and quality of life.…”