Calcium may preferentially deposit in areas of elastic tissue damage - 10/08/11
Correspondence to: Lindy P. Fox, MD, Department of Dermatology, University of California, San Francisco, 1701 Divisadero St, 3rd Floor, San Francisco, CA 94115.Abstract |
Background |
Cutaneous calcification is an acquired disorder whereby insoluble, amorphous calcium salts deposit in the skin. Classically, cutaneous calcification is categorized as metastatic, dystrophic, idiopathic, or iatrogenic.
Objective |
The purpose of this study was to further elucidate the underlying pathogenic mechanism for cutaneous calcification.
Methods |
Three cases of cutaneous calcification, including clinical characteristics and associated histopathology, were reviewed. Previous reports of cutaneous calcification were searched for in the published literature and included.
Results |
Calcium is distributed within areas of underlying tissue damage (ie, locus minoris resistentiae), and in our cases, occurred specifically at sites of chronic actinic damage and intravenous extravasation tissue injury.
Limitations |
A small number of clinical cases and previously published reports were reviewed.
Conclusion |
We hypothesize that cutaneous calcification may preferentially occur at anatomic sites where tissue integrity has been compromised (ie, locus minoris resistentiae). We suggest one potential mechanism: that cutaneous calcification occurs within dermis that contains damaged elastic fibers. Pseudoxanthoma elasticum may serve as a possible genetic disease model for this process.
Le texte complet de cet article est disponible en PDF.Key words : calcinosis cutis, cutaneous calcification, dystrophic calcification, iatrogenic calcification, metastatic calcification, pseudoxanthoma elasticum, solar elastosis
Abbreviations used : CPP, IV, PXE
Plan
| Funding sources: None. |
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| Conflicts of interest: None declared. |
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| Reprints not available from the authors. |
Vol 64 - N° 2
P. 296-301 - février 2011 Retour au numéro
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