A young man’s urge to speed up his fitness progress led to his hospitalization.
What happened?
A 23-year-old student in Henan, China, wanted to speed up his fitness progress.So he pushed himself through an extremely intense leg workout and ended up in the hospital with acute kidney injury and required emergency dialysis.
According to his doctor, nephrologist Liu Haofei at the First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine, he was trying too hard on his leg day which led to rhabdomyolysis, commonly called “rhabdo.” It is a serious condition in which damaged skeletal muscles break down rapidly, releasing substances such as myoglobin, creatine kinase (CK), and electrolytes into the bloodstream. While myoglobin can damage the kidneys, a sudden rise in potassium levels can disrupt the heart’s normal rhythm and become life-threatening.
What are the causes of Rhabdomyolysis?
- Extreme or unfamiliar exercise
- Crush injuries or major trauma
- Prolonged immobilization
- Heat stroke
- Seizures
- Certain medications, including statins
- Alcohol, illicit drugs, infections, and some metabolic disorders.
Symptoms of Rhabdomyolysis
- Severe muscle pain or swelling
- Muscle weakness
- Dark, tea- or cola-colored urine
Interestingly, this classic triad occurs in fewer than 10% of patients, so diagnosis often requires a high index of suspicion.
Diagnosis of Rhabdomyolysis
Doctors usually diagnose rhabdomyolysis based on symptoms and blood tests. A creatine kinase (CK) level >5 times the upper limit of normal strongly suggests significant muscle injury. Blood and urine tests may also show myoglobin and electrolyte abnormalities, especially high potassium, which require urgent attention.
What is Traumatic Rhabdomyolysis?
Traumatic rhabdomyolysis develops after severe muscle injury, such as crush accidents, prolonged compression, electrical injuries, or compartment syndrome. These situations can release large amounts of muscle proteins into the bloodstream, increasing the risk of kidney damage.
Treatment of Rhabdomyolysis
The most important treatment is early, aggressive intravenous fluid therapy to help flush myoglobin from the kidneys and reduce the risk of kidney failure. Doctors also correct electrolyte abnormalities, especially hyperkalemia, treat the underlying cause, discontinue any offending medications, and provide dialysis if kidney function becomes severely impaired.
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MBH/PS