RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Partial lipodystrophy is a rare acquired disorder characterised by gradual loss of subcutaneous adipose tissue in the upper half of the body. CASE DESCRIPTION: We saw a 9-year-old girl who had been referred on account of recurrent urinary tract infections. On physical examination, she was noticed to be very thin in the face. Her upper extremities were also skinny. Strikingly, the lower half of her body was normally proportioned, which immediately suggested a diagnosis of partial lipodystrophy. Additional examinations showed a low level of complement factor C3 and the presence of C3 nephritic factor. CONCLUSION: Partial lipodystrophy is rare but it is important to include it in the differential diagnosis of unwanted disproportional subcutaneous fat loss because of the somatic and psychological consequences.