Adiposis Dolorosa (Dercum's Disease)

A rare disease characterized by multiple tumor-like fatty deposits that press on nerves in various sites causing pain and weakness. Often these lipoma-like structures are located on the trunk and limbs but not on the face and hands.

Also Known As:

Dercum's Disease; Adiposalgia; Adipose Tissue Rheumatism; Ander's Syndrome; Anders Syndrome; Decum-Vitaut Syndrome; Dercum Disease; Lipomatosis Dolorosa; Morbus Dercum; Adiposalgias; Adipose Tissue Rheumatisms; Ander Syndrome; Anders Syndromes; Decum Vitaut Syndrome; Dercum, Morbus; Dercums Disease; Dercums, Morbus; Disease, Dercum; Disease, Dercum's; Dolorosa, Lipomatosis; Dolorosas, Lipomatosis; Lipomatosis Dolorosas; Morbus Dercums; Rheumatism, Adipose Tissue; Rheumatisms, Adipose Tissue; Syndrome, Ander's; Syndrome, Anders; Syndrome, Decum-Vitaut; Syndromes, Anders; Tissue Rheumatism, Adipose; Tissue Rheumatisms, Adipose

Networked: 46 relevant articles (4 outcomes, 2 trials/studies)

Relationship Network

Disease Context: Research Results

Related Diseases

1.	Adiposis Dolorosa (Dercum's Disease)
2.	Pain (Aches)
3.	Lipedema
4.	Intractable Pain
5.	Multiple Symmetrical Lipomatosis (Lipomatosis, Familial Benign Cervical)

Experts

1.	Brorson, Håkan: 4 articles (09/2012 - 04/2011)
2.	Hansson, Emma: 4 articles (09/2012 - 04/2011)
3.	Svensson, Henry: 4 articles (09/2012 - 04/2011)
4.	Herbst, Karen L: 3 articles (01/2021 - 02/2012)
5.	Bosi, Emanuele: 2 articles (12/2021 - 06/2015)
6.	Caretto, Amelia: 2 articles (12/2021 - 06/2015)
7.	Martinenghi, Sabina: 2 articles (12/2021 - 06/2015)
8.	Scavini, Marina: 2 articles (12/2021 - 06/2015)
9.	Blaugrund, Eran: 2 articles (12/2021 - 01/2021)
10.	Bloomenfeld, Alon: 2 articles (12/2021 - 01/2021)

Drugs and Biologics

Drugs and Important Biological Agents (IBA) related to Adiposis Dolorosa:

1.	Lidocaine (Xylocaine)FDA LinkGeneric 11/01/2008 - "A patient with Dercum's disease successfully treated with transdermal lidocaine 5% patches. " 08/01/1986 - "A 60-year-old woman with adiposis dolorosa for 20 years was treated with repeated intravenous infusions of lidocaine. " 01/01/1982 - "A patient with adiposis dolorosa was treated with intravenous infusions of lidocaine over a two-year period. " 01/01/1987 - "Two patients with Dercum's disease have been treated repeatedly with intravenous lidocaine for several months each time resulting in immediate pain relief for 8 and 25 days respectively. " 01/01/1982 - "The mechanism of relief of pain of adiposis dolorosa by lidocaine is uncertain, but previously reported central effects of lidocaine suggest that alterations in the central nervous system may be responsible."
2.	Methotrexate (Mexate)FDA LinkGeneric 05/01/2007 - "Dercum's disease (adiposis dolorosa): a report of improvement with infliximab and methotrexate." 04/30/2012 - "MANAGEMENT AND TREATMENT: The following treatments have lead to some pain reduction in patients with Dercum's disease: Liposuction, analgesics, lidocaine, methotrexate and infliximab, interferon α-2b, corticosteroids, calcium-channel modulators and rapid cycling hypobaric pressure. "
3.	Infliximab (Remicade)FDA Link 05/01/2007 - "Dercum's disease (adiposis dolorosa): a report of improvement with infliximab and methotrexate." 04/30/2012 - "MANAGEMENT AND TREATMENT: The following treatments have lead to some pain reduction in patients with Dercum's disease: Liposuction, analgesics, lidocaine, methotrexate and infliximab, interferon α-2b, corticosteroids, calcium-channel modulators and rapid cycling hypobaric pressure. "
4.	Pregabalin (Lyrica)FDA Link 11/01/2008 - "Here, we report a patient with Dercum's disease who was successfully treated with pregabalin and manual lymphatic drainage, and present a current overview of the literature." 11/01/2008 - "Dercum's disease (Lipomatosis dolorosa): successful therapy with pregabalin and manual lymphatic drainage and a current overview."
5.	Deoxycholic Acid (Sodium Deoxycholate)IBA 09/01/2021 - "Lesion reduction with intralesional deoxycholic acid in Dercum disease with radiographic evidence." 04/01/2023 - "We present a case series of 3 patients who were diagnosed with Dercum disease and were treated with deoxycholic acid (DCA), a therapy approved for adipolysis of submental fat. " 04/01/2023 - "Deoxycholic Acid for Dercum Disease: Repurposing a Cosmetic Agent to Treat a Rare Disease." 12/01/2019 - "Novel Use of Deoxycholic Acid for Adiposis Dolorosa (Dercum Disease)."
6.	Urethane (Ethyl Carbamate)IBA 03/24/1952 - "[A case of adiposis dolorosa treated with urethane]." 08/10/1959 - "[A case of Dercum's disease treated by urethane and nitrogranulogen]."
7.	Metformin (Glucophage)FDA LinkGeneric 06/01/2013 - "In this case report, we describe a patient with Dercum's disease who was successfully managed with metformin. " 06/01/2013 - "A successful case of pain management using metformin in a patient with adiposis dolorosa." 11/01/2012 - "Controlling newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus with metformin managed pain symptoms in a patient affected with Dercum's disease."
8.	Lipoproteins (Lipoprotein)IBA 11/01/2018 - "Rare Presentation of Dercum's Disease in a Child with Abnormalities in Lipoprotein Metabolism." 12/01/1991 - "Fat-cell heat production, adipose tissue fatty acids, lipoprotein lipase activity and plasma lipoproteins in adiposis dolorosa."
9.	Hormones (Hormone)IBA 01/01/1986 - "A case of adiposis dolorosa: lipid metabolism and hormone secretion." 07/19/2012 - "In cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and in plasma (P) from 53 patients with Dercum's disease substance P-like immunoreactivity (SP-LI), neuropeptide Y-like immunoreactivity (NPY-LI), β-endorphin-like immunoreactivity (β-END-LI), calcitonin gene-related peptidelike immunoreactivity (CGRP-LI), met-enkephalin-like immunoreactivity (m-ENK-LI), vasoactive intestinal polypeptide-like immunoreactivity (VIP-LI), somatostatin (SOM-LI), γ2-melanocyte-stimulating hormone-like immunoreactivity (γ2-MSH-LI), and dynorphin-like immunoreactivity (DYN-LI) were measured. "
10.	Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA)IBA 04/30/2012 - "A to G mutation at position A8344 of mitochondrial DNA cannot be detected in patients with Dercum's disease. " 06/01/2012 - "Finally, lipomatosis is currently classified as a painful form (adiposis dolorosa or Dercum's disease) or benign symmetric multiple form, also known as Launois-Bensaude syndrome or Madelung's disease, which are sometimes related to mitochondrial DNA mutations, but are usually promoted by alcohol. "

Therapies and Procedures

1.	Intravenous Injections 01/01/1986 - "The present report describes a 53-year-old non-obese man with adiposis dolorosa whose pain was dramatically relieved by the intravenous injection of lidocaine. "
2.	Manual Lymphatic Drainage 11/01/2008 - "Here, we report a patient with Dercum's disease who was successfully treated with pregabalin and manual lymphatic drainage, and present a current overview of the literature." 11/01/2008 - "Dercum's disease (Lipomatosis dolorosa): successful therapy with pregabalin and manual lymphatic drainage and a current overview."
3.	Lipectomy (Liposuction) 09/01/2012 - "The objective of this study was to examine the quality-of-life in Dercum's disease before and after liposuction. " 09/01/2012 - "In conclusion, the findings could suggest that liposuction improves the quality-of-life slightly in Dercum's disease. " 09/01/2012 - "However, the effect on quality-of-life after liposuction in Dercum's disease has never been investigated. " 09/01/2012 - "Quality-of-life in patients with Dercum's disease--before and after liposuction." 04/01/2011 - "The aim of this investigation was to find out whether the thermal and sensory sensation changed after liposuction in patients with Dercum's disease. "
4.	Therapeutics 12/23/2021 - "Transcutaneous electrical stimulation therapy and genetic analysis in Dercum's disease: A pilot study." 12/01/2018 - "SAT therapy reduced amount and structure of fat in women with lipoedema and Dercum disease; studies are needed to compare SAT therapy to other therapies." 12/01/2018 - "Subcutaneous adipose tissue therapy reduces fat by dual X-ray absorptiometry scan and improves tissue structure by ultrasound in women with lipoedema and Dercum disease." 03/06/1958 - "[Adiposis dolorosa juxta-articularis: Dercum's disease & its therapy]." 06/29/1992 - "[Liposuction in adiposis dolorosa (morbus Dercum)--an effective therapy]."
5.	Pain Management 11/01/2019 - "Adiposis Dolorosa Pain Management." 01/01/2023 - "Spinal cord stimulation: A novel approach to pain management in Dercum's disease." 06/01/2013 - "A successful case of pain management using metformin in a patient with adiposis dolorosa."