Successful treatment of calciphylaxis with vitamin K in a patient on haemodialysis

Abstract

Calciphylaxis has high mortality. Vitamin K deficiency is common in haemodialysis patients and may be a trigger for calciphylaxis due to its role in activating a tissue inhibitor of calcification, matrix Gla protein. We report a second case of a female haemodialysis patient who developed calciphylaxis twice and was successfully treated with vitamin K supplementation on both occasions. She did not receive sodium thiosulphate or bisphosphonates nor was there a change made to her dialysis time or prescription. This case highlights how supplementation with vitamin K may improve the outcome of this condition.