Calciphylaxis – Symptoms and Causes
Overview
Calciphylaxis is a rare and serious condition where calcium builds up in small blood vessels of the skin and fat tissues. This disease often appears in people with kidney failure. It can also affect others without kidney problems too.
Common symptoms include:
- Blood clots
- Lumps under the skin
- Painful open sores (ulcers)
These ulcers pose significant risk if they become infected, potentially becoming life-threatening. While doctors don’t fully understand what causes calciphylaxis, they recognize its strong connection to kidney disease.
Treatment options are available to help patients manage this condition. These include medications, medical procedures, and sometimes surgery. The goals of treatment are to:
- Prevent blood clots
- Reduce calcium deposits
- Heal existing sores
- Control pain
- Prevent infections
Symptoms
Calciphylaxis causes several noticeable skin changes. People often develop large, web-like patterns on their skin with a purple-pink appearance.
Deep, painful lumps may form in the skin and can develop into ulcers. These ulcers typically have a distinctive black-brown crust and don’t heal without treatment.
They commonly appear in fatty areas like the:
- Stomach
- Thighs
- Buttocks
- Breasts
However, these ulcers can develop anywhere on the body. The open wounds that don’t heal properly can lead to serious infections, which create additional health risks.
What Causes This Condition
The root cause of calciphylaxis remains unclear. This disease occurs when calcium builds up in the tiny arteries found in skin and fatty tissues.
People with kidney failure or those on dialysis have a higher risk of developing calciphylaxis. However, researchers don’t fully understand why kidney problems increase this risk.
Some cases of calciphylaxis may connect to the parathyroid glands in the neck. When these glands release too much hormone, calcium can accumulate in the body. Yet this relationship isn’t straightforward.
Many individuals with severely overactive parathyroid glands never develop calciphylaxis. Similarly, many kidney failure patients with calciphylaxis have normal parathyroid function.
Several other factors likely contribute to calciphylaxis development:
- Blood clotting issues – increased clotting can cut off oxygen and nutrients to skin and fat tissues.
- Poor circulation – reduced blood flow in small arteries may lead to skin lumps and ulcers.
- Tissue fibrosis – scarring or thickening of tissues can occur.
- Blood vessel damage – injury to the cells lining blood vessels (vascular endothelial injury).
- Inflammation – ongoing swelling processes in the body.
Research continues to explore how these factors work together to cause this complex condition.
Risk Factors
Kidney failure is the main risk factor for calciphylaxis. However, other factors may increase your chance of developing this condition:
- Female gender
- Being overweight
- Having diabetes
- Liver disease
- Previous dialysis treatment
- Blood clotting problems
- Imbalances in calcium, phosphate, or albumin levels
Certain medications might also raise your risk, including:
- Warfarin (a blood thinner)
- Calcium-binding agents
- Corticosteroids
Complications
Calciphylaxis can lead to several serious health problems. Patients often experience intense pain that can be difficult to manage. The condition frequently causes deep, non-healing ulcers that require medical intervention.
Without proper treatment, dangerous blood infections may develop. These infections, along with potential organ failure, contribute to the high mortality rate associated with calciphylaxis.
Prevention
Preventing calciphylaxis remains challenging. However, certain steps can reduce risks, especially for those on dialysis or with advanced kidney disease.
Controlling calcium and phosphorus levels in the blood is crucial. This often requires taking medications with meals as prescribed. Additionally, following a low-phosphorus diet and attending all scheduled medical appointments is important.
For those who already have calciphylaxis, preventing complications becomes the priority. Proper wound care is essential to avoid infections.
Wound care may include daily cleaning of ulcers, using specialized dressings, and following healthcare providers’ instructions carefully.
Regular monitoring by healthcare professionals helps catch any changes early. Blood tests will track important mineral levels that need to be managed.
Remember that prevention strategies must be personalized. What works for one person may not work for another, so working closely with your healthcare team is vital.
