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Coverage: 2015-01-01 onwards, with up to 300 results per query from PubMed and Europe PMC and separate limits on other sources. This is a selected index, not a complete literature search.
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Adiposis Dolorosa: Research Summary
Printed from RareWays (rareways.org)
For general awareness only. Not medical advice. Discuss all care options with your healthcare team.
5 Most Recent Research Articles
- 1.
59 | EXPLORATORY THERAPEUTIC APPROACH IN DERCUM’S DISEASE: IMMUNOMODULATORS AND GLP-1 RECEPTOR AGONISTS
Associazione Dermatologi-Venereologi Ospedalieri Italiani e della Sanità Pubblica, Dermatology Reports (24 September 2026)
https://doi.org/10.4081/dr.2026.11109
- 2.
Dercum's Disease: A Practical Review of Existing and Novel Therapies.
Idris Yaheya A et al., Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open (1 July 2026)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42488923/
- 3.
Painful Adipose Tissue Disorder: A Systematic Review of Interventions for Dercum's Disease.
How-Volkman Christiane et al., Annals of plastic surgery (1 April 2026)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41604515/
- 4.
Efficacy and safety of CBL-514 for Dercum disease lipomas: A randomized phase 2a study.
Herbst Karen Louise et al., JAAD international (1 April 2026)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41623934/
- 5.
Dercum Disease: Exploratory Therapeutic Approaches in the Absence of Standardized Medical Treatment-A Single Center Case Series.
Magnatta Alessandro et al., Life (Basel, Switzerland) (1 April 2026)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42073391/
Source: RareWays research directory. Data from PubMed, Europe PMC, OpenAlex, ClinicalTrials.gov.
Always verify information with your healthcare team before making any decisions about your care.
Adiposis Dolorosa
Adiposis dolorosa, also known as Dercum's disease, is a rare condition in which painful fatty deposits build up under the skin, most often on the arms, legs and trunk. The pain can be constant and is often accompanied by fatigue, weakness and easy bruising. There is no single standard treatment, so care focuses on pain relief, physiotherapy and, in some cases, removal of the fatty lumps.
This overview is general information, not an individual medical assessment. Research is selected automatically and may include mismatches. How we select and explain research.
There is not much recent research on Adiposis Dolorosa, so this page includes research published since 2015. Most pages on RareWays start at 2020.
Most Recent Research
Dercum’s disease (DD) is a rare chronic disorder characterized by painful subcutaneous lipomas, predominantly affecting overweight or obese middle-aged women. According to lesion distribution and extent, Hansson et al. classified DD into four types: generalized diffuse (I), generalized nodular (II), localized nodular (III), and juxta-articular (IV), although mixed forms may occur [1]. The aetiology remains unclear, and evidence for medical treatments is limited. Surgical approaches may reduce pain but are often followed by relapse and are difficult to apply in extensive disease. We report a patient with DD treated with multiple medical strategies. A 66-year-old woman with a mixed type II+IV DD has been followed since 2023 at the Rare Disease Unit, Section of Dermatology, University of Florence. Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), and BMI were assessed at each visit. She presented with painful subcutaneous masses, first noted 15 years earlier and recently worsened, associated with a 20 kg weight gain. She also reported memory and gait impairment. Examination revealed multiple discrete, painful lipomas (ultrasound-confirmed) in the right popliteal region, thighs, and trunk, along with diffuse cutaneous hyperalgesia. Diagnosis of mixed type II+IV DD was made. Baseline DLQI, VAS, and BMI were 8, 6, and 27.6 kg/m2, respectively. Infliximab (5 mg/kg i.v at weeks 0, 2, 6, and 15, followed by 120mg s.c. every two weeks starting at week 24) was initiated and was associated with clinical improvement, lasting approximately two years. At clinical worsening, methotrexate (12.5 mg s.c. weekly) was introduced. Given metabolic comorbidities (overweight and type 2 diabetes), semaglutide (3 mg daily, increased to 7 mg after 4 weeks) was added. The patient experienced progressive pain reduction, together with a total weight loss of 6 kg over 15 months. Given the favorable clinical response, infliximab was discontinued at T30, with no relapse at T36. Infliximab was apparently associated with a stable improvement in quality of life, VAS and BMI (DLQI −88%, VAS −100% and BMI −4.3%) over 21 months. The combination therapy methotrexate + semaglutide was also associated with improvements (DLQI -83%, VAS -80%, BMI -10%) lasting for 15 months, ongoing. Immunomodulators and incretin-based therapies may be a promising strategy in DD patients refractory to conventional therapies and with extensive disease, where surgery is not feasible.
Common Questions
What is Adiposis Dolorosa?
Adiposis dolorosa, also known as Dercum's disease, is a rare condition in which painful fatty deposits build up under the skin, most often on the arms, legs and trunk. The pain can be constant and is often accompanied by fatigue, weakness and easy bruising. There is no single standard treatment, so care focuses on pain relief, physiotherapy and, in some cases, removal of the fatty lumps.
How many clinical trials are available for Adiposis Dolorosa?
RareWays currently indexes 4 clinical trials for Adiposis Dolorosa. These counts cover indexed trials across countries, not just your country. An Australian site does not necessarily mean that site is recruiting. Check locations, eligibility and current availability with the study team.
Where does the research data for Adiposis Dolorosa come from?
RareWays aggregates research from PubMed, Europe PMC, OpenAlex, and ClinicalTrials.gov. Data is refreshed automatically every day. All articles and trials link directly to their original sources.
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