Weber-Christian disease or Pfeifer-Weber-Christian disease or idiopathic relapsing febrile nodular non-suppurative panniculitis was initially defined as a rare inflammatory disorder of unknown etiology affecting subcutaneous adipose tissue inter alia 1.
However, the understanding of lobular panniculitis has expanded and cases that were once diagnosed in the "water basket" of “Weber-Christian” disease are with modern histology and immunopathology recognized to be clearly definable and separate entities comprising:
- lupus panniculitis
- cytophagic histiocytic panniculitis
- α 1-antitrypsin deficiency
- factitial panniculitis
- traumatic panniculitis
- calciphylaxis
Most authors suggest the term be abandoned or even buried 2-4.