DILTIAZEM INDUCES REMISSION OF CALCINOSIS IN SCLERODERMA

There is no widely accepted treatment for the calcinosis which occurs in scleroderma and dermatomyositis. We report a case of a 62-yr-old wo man with active scleroderma complicated by tuberose calcinosis. The ca lcinosis, which had previously been unchanged for several years, regre ssed over a 2-yr period during which diltiazem was used to treat hyper tension. This effect could not be explained by altered disease activit y or renal function but, we suggest, may be due to inhibition of calci um influx into cells. This treatment merits further evaluation.