Epidemiology


Etiology


  • Traumatic
    • Crush injury
    • Direct injury
  • Nontraumatic
    • Seizures
    • Overexertion (e.g., strenuous exercise)
    • Intoxication (e.g., cocaine, heroin, amphetamines, MDMA, alcohol, carbon monoxide, phencyclidine)
    • Skeletal muscle ischemia
    • Infection
    • Adverse drug reactions (e.g., neuroleptics, statins)

Pathophysiology


  • Rhabdomyolysis → release of the following substances:
    • Creatine phosphokinase (CPK) and serum myoglobin → pigment nephropathy → acute tubular necrosisacute kidney injury (intrinsic)
    • Potassium → cardiac arrhythmia
    • Lactic acid → metabolic acidosis
  • Hypovolemia → ↓ renal perfusion → acute kidney injury (prerenal)
    • Hypovolemia is predominantly due to third spacing of extracellular fluid into damaged muscle tissue.
  • Reperfusion syndrome → compartment syndrome

Clinical features


Diagnostics


  • Positive urine dipstick for blood without RBCs on microscopy

Treatment