Rapid improvement of calciphylaxis after intravenous pamidronate therapy in a patient with chronic renal failure

Abstract

Calciphylaxis, also called calcific uraemic arteriolopathy, is a rare disease characterized by medial calcification of the small arteries and ischaemia of the subcutaneous tissue, often leading to necrosis of subcutaneous fat and skin. It affects mainly women with chronic renal insufficiency and/or obesity. According to recent studies, calciphylaxis seems to occur more frequently than previously believed, with an incidence of 1% per year [1] and a prevalence of 4% in dialysis patients [2].