An adolescent girl referred with Cushing syndrome--does she or does she not have the syndrome?

Cushing syndrome and lipodystrophy syndromes share similar clinical features. This report describes an adolescent girl with newly diagnosed familial partial lipodystrophy type 2 (FPLD2) who was initially referred for Cushing syndrome. The type of abnormal fat deposition syndrome can be elucidated by careful clinical examination. FPLD2 can lead to type 2 diabetes mellitus and early cardiovascular events. Partial lipodystrophy presenting for the first time in adolescence can be mistaken for corticosteroid excess. Early diagnosis and preventative management of cardiovascular risk factors are crucial.