Abstract
We report two cases of ectopic calcification mass showing remarkable improvement following low-dose, long-term etidronate disodium (EHDP) therapy. Case 1: A 56-year-old woman with an 8-year history of regular hemodialysis therapy experienced pain and noticed masses on both shoulders and hips in 1997. Radiography demonstrated ectopic calcified masses measuring 9×13cm in diameter around the right hip joint and 16×9cm in diameter around the left hip joint in March 1998. In August 1998, 300mg/day of EHDP was prescribed, which led to rapid improvement of both mild fever and pain. The calcified masses gradually decreased in size, and were confirmed to be 6.5×5cm in diameter around the right hip joint and 8×6cm in diameter around the left hip joint on radiography obtained in November 2001. Case 2: A 55-year-old man with a 10-year history of regular hemodialysis therapy experienced pain in both shoulders and hips in 1995. In March 1998, radiography demonstrated ectopic calcified masses 11×9cm in diameter around the right shoulder joint, 8×10cm in diameter around the right hip joint and 15×11cm in diameter around the left hip joint. He was prescribed 400mg/day of EHDP. The calcified masses had slightly decreased in size in September 1998. His pain seemed to subside rapidly, therefore he continued to take EHDP. In October 2001, the ectopic calcified masses had decreased to 2×3cm in diameter around the right shoulder joint and to 1×1cm in diameter around the left hip joint, while the calcified mass around the right hip joint had disappeared completely. Low-dose, long-term EHDP therapy can be prescribed for ectopic calcification in long-term hemodialysis patients.
