칼시필락시스는 만성 신부전 환자에서 혈관의 급격한 석회화로 인하여 각 장기의 허혈성 손상과 특징적인 피부병변을 보이고 적절한 치료가 이뤄지지 않으면 조기에 사망하게 되는 치명적인 질환이다. 칼시필락시스는 만성 신부전 환자에서 드물게 발생하며 만성 신부전없이 발생하는 경우는 극히 드문 것으로 보고되어 있다. 저자들은 최근에 67세 여자 환자에서 만성신부전의 병력이나 약물사용 등의 위험인자가 없이 피부근염의 임상양상을 동반한 칼시필락시스 1예를 경험하였기에 문헌 고찰과 함께 보고하는 바이다.

Calciphylaxis is a rare, but fatal, condition that is characterized by a rapidly progressive ischemic necrosis of the skin, underlying tissue and other organs, as well as rapid vascular calcification. It results in death due to sepsis, heart or respiratory failure. A 67-year old female was admitted to hospital with the chief complaint of constant pain to both lower legs of 1 week duration. She was treated with calcitonin-salmon due to a prior unexplained hypercalcemia of 2 weeks. On the third day post admission. pain and weakness in the lower legs were aggravated, became painful, with violaceous skin lesions developing on the thigh with findings similar to those of rhabdomyolysis. Because she was suspected of having dermatomyositis, she was treated with methylpredrisolone. However, the skin lesions and symptoms were aggravated, and she died of sepsis due to a skin infection. About 160 cases of calciphylaxis have been reported, with most of these cases being associated with secondary hyperparathyroidism due to end-stage renal disease, but cases of calciphylaxis without renal failure are very rare. We now report a case of calciphylaxis without renal failure, mimicking dermatomyositis, and present a brief review of the pathophysiology and treatments of calciphylaxis inform the relevant literature (J Kor Soc Endocrinol 17:297.303, 2002).