1. Calciphylaxis in two patients with end-stage renal disease
- Author
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R Verdolini, Leonardo Bugatti, Giorgio Filosa, and M. Nicolini
- Subjects
Pathology ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Ischemia ,Dermatology ,Severity of Illness Index ,End stage renal disease ,Fatal Outcome ,Dermis ,Renal Dialysis ,medicine ,Humans ,Aged ,Disseminated intravascular coagulation ,Calciphylaxis ,business.industry ,Biopsy, Needle ,medicine.disease ,Long-Term Care ,Thrombosis ,Purpura ,Infectious Diseases ,medicine.anatomical_structure ,Disease Progression ,Kidney Failure, Chronic ,Female ,medicine.symptom ,business ,Complication - Abstract
Fatal calciphylaxis (CPX) occurred in two 71-year-old females both requiring haemodialysis for end-stage renal disease. Case 2 also had an associated follicular lymphoplasmocytoid lymphoma. Although laboratory tests disclosed normal coagulation parameters, this woman had a striking cutaneous histological picture of vessel thrombosis and finally died of disseminated intravascular coagulation. CPX is a rare but potentially life-threatening complication of renal failure. The clinical picture is primarily characterized by livedoid purpura with subsequent cutaneous ischaemia and painful ulcerations. Cutaneous ischaemic phenomena are sustained by a progressive process of vascular calcification and thrombosis involving small to medium size arteries of the dermis and subcutis. Although not yet clearly explained, the pathogenetic role of a predisposing hypercoagulability state is currently the most frequently considered hypothesis.
- Published
- 2001