Short summary

This projects aims to elucidate pathomechanisms underling calciphylaxis development in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) in a matched case-control study. Analyses of clinical and biochemical parameters will improve the understanding of the pathophysiology and risk factors, and identify clinical and biochemical parameters suitable for the development of a screening tool and new therapies.

Rationale

The study will test if patients with CKD, who developed calciphylaxis display specific changes in dermal pathology, the inflammatory system, and bone mineral metabolism compared to matched control patients, which can be used to develop screening tools and new therapeutic approaches. Calciphylaxis is a rare but feared complication in CKD. It is characterized by calcification and occlusion of small arteries leading to painful, necrotic skin ulcers. Calciphylaxis has a mortality of ~50 % within 6 months and it is related to disturbances in bone mineral metabolism, calcification inhibitors, and malnutrition. However, the causal mechanisms are largely unclear. A lack of data hampers the development of both tools for early detection and new therapies.

Description of the cohort

The DanCaRI project establishes a database and biobank of all eligible patients with chronic kidney disease and calciphylaxis and matched controls in Denmark. Healthy study participants are investigated to provide reference data.

Data and biological material

Clinical and questionnaire data, biochemical data from blood samples, skin biopsies.

Collaborating researchers and departments

Department of Nephrology, Herlev Hospital

• Professor Ditte Hansen

Department of Nephrology, Aarhus

• Associate Professor, Hanne Skou Jørgensen

Department of Nephrology, North Zealand University Hospital

• Clinical Associate Professor Lisbet Brandi

Department of Cardic, thoracic, and Vascular surgery, Odense University Hospital

• Associate Professor Alexandra Scholze