Case Report: Dramatic metabolic improvement with tirzepatide in a patient with acquired partial lipodystrophy following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Early human evidence such as case series or small samples is exploring possible benefits.

• Level A · Stronger Clinical Evidence
• Level B · Emerging clinical evidence with positive signals
• Level C · Early human research exploring benefits
• Level D · Scientific groundwork from lab and animal studies
• Emerging · Emerging topic under active research

Abstract (original English)

Acquired lipodystrophy is a rare disorder characterized by adipose tissue loss or dysfunction and is frequently associated with severe insulin resistance and metabolic complications. Metabolic complications of lipodystrophy have occasionally been reported after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), but their clinical features and optimal treatment strategies remain poorly defined. Tirzepatide, a dual agonist of the glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptors, has recently emerged as a novel therapy for type 2 diabetes. We report a 37-year-old woman who underwent allogeneic HSCT at 12 years of age for relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemia after a conditioning regimen including total body irradiation (TBI), high-dose cytarabine, and melphalan. She subsequently developed diabetes mellitus and fatty liver disease at 17 years of age. Although no apparent fat loss was initially recognized, lipodystrophy was clinically suspected based on severe insulin resistance and metabolic abnormalities disproportionate to her body habitus. Computed tomography at 37 years of age revealed region-specific fat loss extending from the lower back to the gluteal region. Glycemic control remained inadequate despite high-dose insulin therapy and sequential treatment with several GLP-1 receptor agonists. After initiation of tirzepatide, glycemi

Evidence level

Early human evidence such as case series or small samples is exploring possible benefits.

Browse all related research

Filter the research library by this study's title keywords, author, or publication year.