Background
Vilanova disease, or subacute nodular migratory panniculitis, was first observed in 1954
and then named by Vilanova and Pinol Aguade in 1956.
Vilanova’s original 14 patients were all women, most of whom were in their fifth decade of life. Since then, this condition has been diagnosed in men and women.
The nomenclature of this and related diseases is confusing, and some authors believe that Vilanova disease is merely a version of erythema nodosum because the histology is the same. The term chronic erythema nodosum is often used interchangeably with subacute nodular migratory panniculitis.