Rhabdomyolysis, sometimes called “rhabdo” in clinical parlance, implies “breakdown of muscles”. It is a clinical syndrome where muscles begin to break down and lead to alterations in the level of fluid andelectrolytesin the body, thus leading to harmful consequences.
Rhabdomyolysis.David Sacks / Getty Images
Causes of Rhabdomyolysis
Multiple factors have been associated with rhabdomyolysis. Here are a few examples:
Symptoms of Rhabdomyolysis
Typically, the affected patient will report extreme muscle pain, muscle stiffness, swelling, weakness, and sometimes “dark/cola-colored urine”. Dehydration is common, and the patient could have changes in mental status and low blood pressure leading to light-headedness, dizziness, decreased urine output, etc. Fever can be present as well.
How Rhabdomyolysis Affects the Kidney
Rhabdomyolysis Diagnosis
The diagnosis of rhabdomyolysis depends on the clinical presentation which includes the symptoms and the signs of presentation like muscle aches. Some more specific symptoms would include cola-colored urine. Lab tests are done to support the diagnosis and will often show a significantly elevated level of a chemical in the blood calledcreatinine phosphokinase(CPK). Kidney failure may be apparent on the blood test as well, with elevated creatinine levels. Aurine testmight show the presence of myoglobin, the abnormal protein released into the urine from muscle breakdown.
Rhabdomyolysis Treatment
Besides treating the primary cause that led to it, the crux of treatment of rhabdomyolysis is correcting the abnormal electrolyte levels and aggressive hydration of the affected patient with intravenous fluids.There has been some debate about what kind of intravenous fluid is best for a patient in this situation. For many years, alkalinizing the urine with sodium bicarbonate and mannitol has been the standard of care. However, its superiority over other intravenous fluids like normal saline has never been emphatically proven.
The treating doctor will trend your kidney function while you are on the intravenous fluids. Typically, your symptoms and kidney function should begin to recover over a couple of days, and the urine should begin to clear up. In some patients, however, the kidneys can develop injury to the point where dialysis might become necessary. Remember, dialysis is a supportive therapy. It does not treat the kidney failure per se; it only replaces the kidney function. If the kidneys are going to recover, they will do so on their own, and all that the patient and physician can do is to give them a supportive environment. Rarely, the patient could become dialysis-dependent for life.
6 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Nance JR, Mammen AL.Diagnostic evaluation of rhabdomyolysis.Muscle Nerve. 2015;51(6):793-810. doi:10.1002/mus.24606Kim J, Lee J, Kim S, Ryu HY, Cha KS, Sung DJ.Exercise-induced rhabdomyolysis mechanisms and prevention: A literature review.Journal of Sport and Health Science. 2016;5(3):324-333. doi:10.1016/j.jshs.2015.01.012Thongprayoon C, Petnak T, Kanduri SR, et al.Impact of rhabdomyolysis on outcomes of hospitalizations for heat stroke in the United States.Hospital Practice. 2020;48(5):276-281. doi:10.1080/21548331.2020.1792214Zhang MH.Rhabdomyolosis and its pathogenesis.World Journal of Emergency Medicine. 2012;3(1):11. doi:10.5847/wjem.j.issn.1920-8642.2012.01.002Torres PA, Helmstetter JA, Kaye AM, Kaye AD.Rhabdomyolysis: Pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment.Ochsner J. 2015;15(1):58-69.Sawhney JS, Kasotakis G, Goldenberg A, et al.Management of rhabdomyolysis: A practice management guideline from the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma.The American Journal of Surgery. 2022; 23 (1). doi:10.1016/j.amjsurg.2021.11.022
6 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Nance JR, Mammen AL.Diagnostic evaluation of rhabdomyolysis.Muscle Nerve. 2015;51(6):793-810. doi:10.1002/mus.24606Kim J, Lee J, Kim S, Ryu HY, Cha KS, Sung DJ.Exercise-induced rhabdomyolysis mechanisms and prevention: A literature review.Journal of Sport and Health Science. 2016;5(3):324-333. doi:10.1016/j.jshs.2015.01.012Thongprayoon C, Petnak T, Kanduri SR, et al.Impact of rhabdomyolysis on outcomes of hospitalizations for heat stroke in the United States.Hospital Practice. 2020;48(5):276-281. doi:10.1080/21548331.2020.1792214Zhang MH.Rhabdomyolosis and its pathogenesis.World Journal of Emergency Medicine. 2012;3(1):11. doi:10.5847/wjem.j.issn.1920-8642.2012.01.002Torres PA, Helmstetter JA, Kaye AM, Kaye AD.Rhabdomyolysis: Pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment.Ochsner J. 2015;15(1):58-69.Sawhney JS, Kasotakis G, Goldenberg A, et al.Management of rhabdomyolysis: A practice management guideline from the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma.The American Journal of Surgery. 2022; 23 (1). doi:10.1016/j.amjsurg.2021.11.022
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Nance JR, Mammen AL.Diagnostic evaluation of rhabdomyolysis.Muscle Nerve. 2015;51(6):793-810. doi:10.1002/mus.24606Kim J, Lee J, Kim S, Ryu HY, Cha KS, Sung DJ.Exercise-induced rhabdomyolysis mechanisms and prevention: A literature review.Journal of Sport and Health Science. 2016;5(3):324-333. doi:10.1016/j.jshs.2015.01.012Thongprayoon C, Petnak T, Kanduri SR, et al.Impact of rhabdomyolysis on outcomes of hospitalizations for heat stroke in the United States.Hospital Practice. 2020;48(5):276-281. doi:10.1080/21548331.2020.1792214Zhang MH.Rhabdomyolosis and its pathogenesis.World Journal of Emergency Medicine. 2012;3(1):11. doi:10.5847/wjem.j.issn.1920-8642.2012.01.002Torres PA, Helmstetter JA, Kaye AM, Kaye AD.Rhabdomyolysis: Pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment.Ochsner J. 2015;15(1):58-69.Sawhney JS, Kasotakis G, Goldenberg A, et al.Management of rhabdomyolysis: A practice management guideline from the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma.The American Journal of Surgery. 2022; 23 (1). doi:10.1016/j.amjsurg.2021.11.022
Nance JR, Mammen AL.Diagnostic evaluation of rhabdomyolysis.Muscle Nerve. 2015;51(6):793-810. doi:10.1002/mus.24606
Kim J, Lee J, Kim S, Ryu HY, Cha KS, Sung DJ.Exercise-induced rhabdomyolysis mechanisms and prevention: A literature review.Journal of Sport and Health Science. 2016;5(3):324-333. doi:10.1016/j.jshs.2015.01.012
Thongprayoon C, Petnak T, Kanduri SR, et al.Impact of rhabdomyolysis on outcomes of hospitalizations for heat stroke in the United States.Hospital Practice. 2020;48(5):276-281. doi:10.1080/21548331.2020.1792214
Zhang MH.Rhabdomyolosis and its pathogenesis.World Journal of Emergency Medicine. 2012;3(1):11. doi:10.5847/wjem.j.issn.1920-8642.2012.01.002
Torres PA, Helmstetter JA, Kaye AM, Kaye AD.Rhabdomyolysis: Pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment.Ochsner J. 2015;15(1):58-69.
Sawhney JS, Kasotakis G, Goldenberg A, et al.Management of rhabdomyolysis: A practice management guideline from the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma.The American Journal of Surgery. 2022; 23 (1). doi:10.1016/j.amjsurg.2021.11.022
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