Calciphylaxis - Symptoms and Treatment of Calciphylaxis

Calciphylaxis (cal-ci-phy-lax-is) is a dangerous disease due to deposition of calcium form blood vessels into the skin (process known as calcification) which can lead to hypersensitivity. It results in painful skin ulcers, some skin infections and organ failures, itching and burning sensation, bleeding from the affected area, some purple or red colored lesions on trunks, abdomen, buttocks or thighs. Calciphylaxis is most commonly seen in the people who are at the last stage of their kidney disease. Calciphylaxis can also be rarely seen in the people suffering from breast cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, or liver cirrhosis. It can be rare but serious one. Females get affected more than males in this skin disorder.

Calciphylaxis is also referred as uremic gangrene syndrome, uremic necrosis, uremic small-artery disease with medial calcification and intimal hyperplasia, calcific uremic arteriolopathy, obliterative calcific-thrombotic arteriolopathy, calcifying panniculitis. Calciphylaxis is not uncommon. The pathogenesis of Calciphylaxis remains unclear as it differs from intima-based common atherosclerosis and extravascular calcium-phosphate deposits in organs such as the skin in Calcinosis cutis are not involved.

Causes of Calciphylaxis

The pathogenesis is poorly understood. In animal models, calciphylaxis is described as a condition of induced systemic hypersensitivity in which tissues respond to appropriate challenging agents with calcium deposition. It is associated with a condition known as secondary hyperparathyroidism.

What are the symptoms of Calciphylaxis?

Calciphylaxis begins as surface purple-coloured mottling of the skin then bleeding occurs within the affected area. Patients usually experience unbearable pain, burning and sometimes itching at the lesion sites. Some symptoms related to Calciphylaxis are listed here:

• Calcification of small- and medium-sized arterioles.
• Fluid buildup.
• Small blood clots develop within blood vessels.
• Weight loss.
• Excruciatingly tender and extremely firm lesions.

Calciphylaxis Treatment.

• Main treatment is discontinuation of corticosteroids, phosphate, iron, calcium and vitamin D products in the diet.
• Dialysis is prescribed to the patients who are already under dialysis.
• Hyperbaric oxygen and cimetidine can show considerable effect to treat calciphylaxis.
• Tissue plasmnogen activator, blood thinning medications may also be used in the treatment in some cases.
• Anticoagulation therapy is used to treat the patients with protein C and protein S deficiencies.
• Antibiotics and pain relief medications are the other sources of treatment.
• Surgery is necessary in some cases to remove all or part of the parathyroid glands, and dead or contaminated tissue, to prevent infection.