Calciphylaxis in a Hemodialysis Patient: A Rare and Fatal Complication

Authors

  • Hayat Ullah Department of Nephrology, Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar, KP, Pakistan.
  • Muhammad Zoaib Khan Department of Nephrology, Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar, KP, Pakistan.
  • Ifthikhar Alam Department of Nephrology, Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar, KP, Pakistan.
  • Amanullah Department of Nephrology, Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar, KP, Pakistan.
  • Hira Masood Gillani State Life Insurance Corporation (H&AI), Peshawar, KP, Pakistan.
  • Naveed Ahmad Department of Nephrology, Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar, KP, Pakistan.
  • Faizan Banaras Department of Nephrology, Khyber Teaching Hospital, Peshawar, KP, Pakistan.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.70749/ijbr.v3i5.1362

Keywords:

Calciphylaxis, Hemodialysis, ESRD, Vascular Calcification, Skin Necrosis,, Parathyroid Hormone

Abstract

Calciphylaxis, or calcific uremic arteriolopathy, is a rare and life-threatening condition primarily seen in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) undergoing dialysis. It is characterized by vascular calcification, thrombosis of dermal arterioles, and subsequent tissue necrosis. We present a case of a 52-year-old female on maintenance hemodialysis who developed progressive skin lesions, later diagnosed as calciphylaxis. Despite early diagnosis and initiation of treatment, the patient succumbed to sepsis due to secondary wound infection. This case underscores the diagnostic challenges and high mortality associated with calciphylaxis in dialysis patients and highlights the need for early intervention and multidisciplinary management.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Nigwekar, S. U., Wolf, M., Sterns, R. H., Hix, J. K., & Jaber, B. L. (2013). Sodium thiosulfate therapy for calciphylaxis. Kidney International, 84(5), 979–985. https://doi.org/10.1038/ki.2013.223

Hayashi, M., Takamatsu, I., Kanno, Y., Yoshida, T., Abe, T., Sato, Y., Shimizu, A., & Maruyama, S. (2016). Risk factors for calciphylaxis in hemodialysis patients: A matched case–control study. Clinical and Experimental Nephrology, 20(6), 926–932. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10157-016-1232-z

Weenig, R. H., Sewell, L. D., Davis, M. D., McCarthy, J. T., & Pittelkow, M. R. (2004). Calciphylaxis: Natural history, risk factor analysis, and outcome. American Journal of Dermatopathology, 26(2), 104–108. https://doi.org/10.1097/00000372-200404000-00004

Brandenburg, V. M., Kramann, R., Rothe, H., Kaesler, N., Schurgers, L. J., & Floege, J. (2011). Parathyroidectomy reduces mortality in patients with calciphylaxis: A retrospective cohort study. Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation, 26(4), 1324–1331. https://doi.org/10.1093/ndt/gfq652

Zitt, E., Konig, M., Vychytil, A., Beyerl, J., Sprenger-Mähr, H., Lhotta, K., & Mayer, G. (2007). Use of low calcium dialysate to manage hypercalcemia in hemodialysis patients with calciphylaxis. Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation, 22(10), 2874–2878. https://doi.org/10.1093/ndt/gfm373

Povoa, I. C., Magalhães, J., Silva, M., Oliveira, J. C., Figueiredo, A., Santos, J., & Macário, F. (2019). Management strategies and clinical outcomes of calciphylaxis: A retrospective study. Clinical Nephrology, 91(5), 263–272. https://doi.org/10.5414/CN109516

Downloads

Published

2025-05-15

How to Cite

Hayat Ullah, Khan, M. Z., Alam, I., Amanullah, Gillani, H. M., Ahmad, N., & Banaras, F. (2025). Calciphylaxis in a Hemodialysis Patient: A Rare and Fatal Complication. Indus Journal of Bioscience Research, 3(5), 1–3. https://doi.org/10.70749/ijbr.v3i5.1362

Most read articles by the same author(s)