Clinical mimickers of calciphylaxis: A retrospective study

Background: Calciphylaxis is an ischemic vasculopathy with high morbidity and mortality. Early and accurate diagnosis is critical to management of calciphylaxis. Clinical mimickers may contribute to delayed or misdiagnosis.

Objective: To assess the rate and risk factors for misdiagnosis and to identify clinical mimickers of calciphylaxis.

Methods: A retrospective medical record review was conducted of patients with calciphylaxis at a large urban tertiary care hospital between 2006 and 2018.

Results: Of 119 patients diagnosed with calciphylaxis, 73.1% were initially misdiagnosed. Of patients not initially misdiagnosed, median time to diagnosis from initial presentation was 4.5 days (interquartile range, 1.0-23.3), compared to 33 days (interquartile range, 13.0-68.8) in patients who were initially misdiagnosed (P = .0002). The most common misdiagnoses were cellulitis (31.0%), unspecified skin infection (8.0%), and peripheral vascular disease (6.9%). Patients who were misdiagnosed frequently received at least 1 course of antibiotics. Patients with end-stage renal disease were less likely to be misdiagnosed than those without this disease (P = .001).

Limitations: Single-center, retrospective study.

Conclusions: Understanding the risk factors for misdiagnosis of calciphylaxis is an opportunity for further education concerning this rare disease.