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Dercum’s disease (Lipomatosis dolorosa): successful therapy with pregabalin and manual lymphatic drainage and a current overview

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Abstract

Dercum’s disease which is also termed lipomatosis dolorosa is a rare and relatively unknown disease. In this entity the upper arms, elbows, stomach wall, buttocks, thighs and knees are predominantly affected showing painful subcutaneous adipose tissue deposits. In addition severe hyperalgesia can be triggered by light pressure and touch. Analgesic and/or nonsteroidal antirheumatic drugs have usually only a minor or no effect. 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.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Kerckhoff-Clinic, Bad Nauheim, Germany

    Uwe Lange

  2. Medical Clinic III, Department of Rheumatology and Osteology, University of Jena, Jena, Germany

    Peter Oelzner

  3. Medical Clinic II, Centrum of nature cure, University of Jena, Jena, Germany

    Christine Uhlemann

Authors
  1. Uwe Lange
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  2. Peter Oelzner
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  3. Christine Uhlemann
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Correspondence to Uwe Lange.

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Lange, U., Oelzner, P. & Uhlemann, C. Dercum’s disease (Lipomatosis dolorosa): successful therapy with pregabalin and manual lymphatic drainage and a current overview. Rheumatol Int 29, 17–22 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00296-008-0635-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00296-008-0635-3

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