Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41752925›Full record

ReviewLife (Basel, Switzerland)2026

Dercum's Disease: Bridging Present Understanding and Emerging Directions.

Francesca Gorini, Alessio Coi, Alice Verdelli, Elisabetta Magnaterra, Manfredi Magliulo, Luca Sanna, Virginia Corti, Simone Landini, Marta Donati, Irene Bonanni and 7 more

Abstract readReview
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in Life (Basel, Switzerland), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

17 authors.

Francesca GoriniUnit of Epidemiology of Rare Diseases and Congenital Anomalies, Institute of Clinical Physiology, National Research Council, 56124 Pisa, Italy.ORCID 0000-0002-4619-6227
Alessio CoiUnit of Epidemiology of Rare Diseases and Congenital Anomalies, Institute of Clinical Physiology, National Research Council, 56124 Pisa, Italy.ORCID 0000-0002-9816-3144
Alice Verdelli1st Dermatological Clinic, Azienda USL Toscana Centro, P.O. Piero Palagi, Department of Health Science, University of Florence, 50122 Florence, Italy.
Elisabetta MagnaterraOncologic Dermatology Unit, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy.ORCID 0000-0002-3263-4353
Manfredi MagliuloSection of Dermatology, Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, 50134 Florence, Italy.ORCID 0000-0003-0154-3173
Luca SannaSection of Dermatology, Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, 50134 Florence, Italy.ORCID 0009-0004-0630-3501
Virginia CortiSection of Dermatology, Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, 50134 Florence, Italy.ORCID 0009-0009-3637-9845
Simone LandiniSection of Dermatology, Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, 50134 Florence, Italy.ORCID 0009-0007-5416-4392
Marta DonatiDermatology Department, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41124 Modena, Italy.
Irene Bonanni1st Dermatological Clinic, Azienda USL Toscana Centro, P.O. Piero Palagi, Department of Health Science, University of Florence, 50122 Florence, Italy.ORCID 0009-0007-8253-4127
Rachel DaherSection of Dermatology, Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, 50134 Florence, Italy.ORCID 0009-0009-1078-157X
Alberto CorràDermatology Unit, Ospedale San Bartolo, 36100 Vicenza, Italy.
Cinzia PupilliSOSD Endocrinology ASL Center, 50122 Tuscany, Italy.
Elena Biancamaria MariottiUnit of Dermatology, Azienda USL Toscana Nord Ovest, 55100 Lucca, Italy.ORCID 0000-0003-0388-1037
Valentina Ruffo di CalabriaSSD Dermatology, Cardinal Massaia Hospital, 14100 Asti, Italy.ORCID 0000-0003-0307-6636
Alessandro MagnattaSection of Dermatology, Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, 50134 Florence, Italy.ORCID 0009-0008-1701-8772
Marzia Caproni1st Dermatological Clinic, Azienda USL Toscana Centro, P.O. Piero Palagi, Department of Health Science, University of Florence, 50122 Florence, Italy.ORCID 0000-0002-7471-3471

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Dercum's disease (DD) is a rare condition characterized by intense, asymmetrical, chronic burning pain localized in adipose tissue, often accompanied by subcutaneous fat nodules, leading to a significant reduction in quality of life. It typically affects overweight or obese adults between 35 and 50 years of age, with a marked female predominance. Despite numerous hypotheses proposed over time, the pathophysiology of DD remains poorly understood. Diagnosis is particularly challenging, as it relies solely on clinical evaluation. Given the overlapping features with other conditions, including symptoms, clinical course and inheritance pattern, a differential, accurate, and timely diagnosis is essential for the effective management of DD. Current treatment strategies focus primarily on pain relief, reflecting the still uncomplete understanding of DD etiopathogenesis. This review provides an updated overview of the current knowledge on DD, with particular emphasis on recent advances in pharmacological treatment strategies.

Indexed as

adiposis dolorosachronic painDercum’s diseasedifferential diagnosesdisease managementlipomatosisrare diseasesubcutaneous tissue

Identifiers

PMID41752925
PMCPMC12941686

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.