Adiposis dolorosa

Adiposis dolorosa, also known as Dercum's disease, is a rare condition characterized by generalized obesity and fatty tumors in the adipose tissue. The tumors are normally painful and found in multiples on the extremities. The understanding of the cause and mechanism of Dercum disease remains unknown. Possible causes include nervous system dysfunction, mechanical pressure on nerves, adipose tissue dysfunction, and trauma.

Dercum's disease was first described at Jefferson Medical College by neurologist Francis Xavier Dercum in 1892.

Mechanisms

There are currently no known mechanisms for this disease.

Signs and symptoms

Four cardinal symptoms have sometimes been used as diagnostic criteria.

1) painful, fatty lipomas (benign fatty tumors) across anatomy

2) obesity, frequently in menopausal age

3) weakness and fatigue

4) emotional instability, depression, epilepsy, confusion, and dementia.

There are also potential signs of the disease which are identified as the following: