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Adiposis dolorosa

Other Names for this Disease
  • Dercum disease
  • Dercum's disease
More Names
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Overview


Adiposis dolorosa, or Dercum disease, is a rare condition that is characterized by multiple, painful fatty lipomas (benign, fatty tumors) that occur most often in middle aged, post-menopausal, obese women. Although it is 20 times more common in women, 16 percent of the reported cases are males and it can also occur in people who are not obese. The lipomas can cause severe pain, which is often debilitating. This condition is chronic and tends to be progressive. The exact cause of adiposis dolorosa is unknown.[1]


References

  1. Learning about Dercum Disease. National Human Genome Research Institute. http://www.genome.gov/17516629. Accessed May 13, 2011.
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General Information

  • Genetics Home Reference (GHR) contains information on Adiposis dolorosa. Click on the link to go to GHR and review the information.
  • MedlinePlus, a Web site designed by the National Library of Medicine to help you research your health questions, provides more information about this topic. Click on the link to view this information.
  • Medscape Reference provides information on this topic. Click on the link to view this information. You may need to register to view the medical textbook, but registration is free.
  • MeSH® (Medical Subject Headings) is a terminology tool used by the National Library of Medicine. Click on the link to view information on this topic.
  • The National Human Genome Research Institute's (NHGRI) mission encompasses a broad range of studies aimed at understanding the structure and function of the human genome and its role in health and disease. Click on the link to view the information page on this topic.
  • The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) is a federation of more than 130 nonprofit voluntary health organizations serving people with rare disorders. Click on the link to view information on this topic.
  • Orphanet is a European reference portal for information on rare diseases and orphan drugs.  Access to this database is free of charge.  Click on the link to read information on this topic.
  • PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Adiposis dolorosa. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.
  • The The Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) database contains genetics resources that discuss Adiposis dolorosa. Click on the link to go to OMIM and review these resources.