Everything you Need to Know about Calciphylaxis

Calciphylaxis is a rare, but very serious condition, wherein calcium deposits amass in the
small blood vessels. This, in turn, leads to painful skin ulcers, blood clots, and may even
cause severe infections that could be fatal. The condition is seen to be more prevalent in
patients who experienced kidney failure and are on dialysis or have undergone a kidney
transplant. Yet calciphylaxis can also happen to people who do not have any kind of kidney
disease.

Symptoms And Causes Of Calciphylaxis

The common signs and symptoms of calciphylaxis include big purple-colored net-like
patterns on the skin, painful lumps that develop into open sores with a blackish crust, and
infections from wounds that do not heal naturally. While the exact cause of calciphylaxis is
not clear, it is found that people with abnormalities in blood-clotting factors are more
prone to the condition.
Blood-clotting factors help to stop bleeding in case of an injury. Any kind of abnormality in
these substances will lead to the formation of small blood clots more frequently than it
normally should. Besides, people having trouble with the metabolism of calcium are also at
more risk of developing calciphylaxis. The undigested calcium can accumulate in the
arterioles and gradually cause blood clots in the arteries. This eventually leads to a
deprivation of oxygen in the fat tissues and skin.
Calciphylaxis commonly affects women, obese people, and those who are diabetic and
experience an imbalance of calcium, aluminum, and phosphorus in their bodies. Other risk
factors include the use of medications like warfarin, corticosteroids, or calcium-binding
agents. Women experiencing hyperparathyroidism, wherein the parathyroid glands
become overactive and produce excessive parathyroid hormone (PTH), are also prone to
developing calciphylaxis.

Diagnosis And Treatment Of Calciphylaxis

Calciphylaxis can cause many complications like non-healing ulcers, infections in the blood,
severe pain, and multi-organ failure, which could lead to death. That is why it is important
to diagnose and treat the condition in its early stages so that serious infections can be
prevented. In order to diagnose the condition, visit your doctor at a Low Income Medical Clinic or a free clinic near you. Make sure to review your health records and check your symptoms. He/she will also recommend a few tests, such as skin biopsy, X-rays, and blood tests to assess the presence of various substances in your blood like calcium,
parathyroid hormone, blood-clotting factors, phosphorus, urea nitrogen, and more. This
will help the doctor to check your kidney and liver functions.
The treatment of calciphylaxis involves multiple interventions like taking anticoagulation
medications, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, and other measures to restore oxygen and blood
flow to the skin. To decrease the amount of calcium deposits in your body, the doctor may
recommend dialysis and prescribe sodium thiosulfate. If you are already on dialysis, your
doctor may advise a change in the medications and dialysis routine to decrease calcium
buildup in your blood vessels.