Calciphylaxis in a morbidly obese woman with rheumatoid arthritis presenting with severe weight loss and vitamin D deficiency.

OBJECTIVE

To present an unusual case of calciphylaxis in an obese patient with inactive rheumatoid arthritis and normal renal function.

METHODS

We describe a 46-year-old morbidly obese Caucasian woman who had previously weighed 200 kg and presented with painful leg ulcers following a rapid weight loss of 102 kg in 1 year.

RESULTS

The subject was admitted with a 6-week history of painful leg ulcers that progressed to her thighs. Vasculitis and active rheumatoid arthritis were excluded clinically and biochemically. A skin biopsy confirmed calciphylaxis in the context of normal renal function. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D was low at 14 ng/mL (reference range, 20 to 200 ng/mL), with an elevated serum parathyroid hormone level of 241 pg/mL (reference range, 10 to 65 pg/mL), but normal serum calcium and phosphorus levels. The skin lesions persisted despite local wound care, daily hyperbaric oxygen, and parenteral sodium thiosulfate therapies. After normalizing the serum vitamin D level through oral supplementation, she responded well to pamidronate infusion with complete healing of the ulcers and regained 13% of her premorbid weight.

CONCLUSION

This is the first case of calciphylaxis preceded by weight loss of greater than 100 kg in a patient with hypovitaminosis D who responded to pamidronate therapy.