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Updated: Apr 16, 2026

A Semi-Automated and Reproducible Biological-Based Method to Quantify Calcium Deposition In Vitro
Published on: June 2, 2022
Vitamin K antagonists predispose to calciphylaxis in patients with end-stage renal disease
Peter A G Galloway1, Ragada El-Damanawi, Victoria Bardsley
1School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
Background/Aims:
Calciphylaxis is associated with a poor prognosis in dialysis patients, and its pathogenesis remains incompletely understood. Although the use of vitamin K antagonists (VKA) has been implicated, previous reports are conflicting. We aimed to determine if vitamin K antagonists conferred an increased risk of calciphylaxis in patients on dialysis.
Methods:
We performed a single-centre, retrospective cohort study of 2,234 patients receiving dialysis, and compared the characteristics of those with and without calciphylaxis.
Results:
We identified 5 cases of calciphylaxis (all female) between January 2009 and December 2013. Overall, 142 patients (6.4%) were treated with VKA during the study period. Calciphylaxis was more common in the VKA group (4 of 142 patients, OR = 61, 95% CI 6.7-546, p = 0.0001). VKA was withdrawn in all cases and treatment instituted with sodium thiosulphate, cinacalcet and supportive measures. All patients recovered, although there was one sudden cerebrovascular death during follow-up.
Conclusion:
Treatment with VKA predisposes to the development of calciphylaxis.
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