Schizoaffective Disorder and Concurrent Rhabdomyolysis

• Published in: Curēus (Palo Alto, CA) Vol. 13; no. 11; p. e19896
• Main Authors: Varkey, Thomas, Demetriades, Christopher, Malluru, Natalie, Merhavy, Zachary I, Simtion, Kyle, Garmer, Caitlyn, Zeitler, Colton, Pyada, Raaj, Nguyen, Anne M, Ding, Jack B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Cureus Inc 25.11.2021; Cureus
• Subjects: Abdomen; Back pain; Case management; Case reports; Catheters; Correctional institutions; Drug use; Emergency medical care; Hemodialysis; Hospitals; Internal Medicine; Kidneys; Laboratories; Mental disorders; Metabolism; Nephrology; Occupational therapy; Pharmacy; Physical therapy; Primary care; Psychiatry; Psychotropic drugs; Substance abuse treatment; Toxicology; Ultrasonic imaging; Urinalysis; Urine; non-traumatic rhabdomyolysis; concurrent disorders; interprofessional care; law enforcement; schizoaffective disorder
• ISSN: 2168-8184; 2168-8184
• DOI: 10.7759/cureus.19896

The authors present a unique case of schizoaffective disorder exacerbation, complicated by substance misuse, rhabdomyolysis, and acute renal injury. The patient had been recently released from jail and was not on any psychiatric medications aside. His family reported bizarre behavior involving the patient spending a significant amount of time in an outdoor hot tub exposed to extreme heat, which the patient justified as necessary to protect him from snakes. The patient was diagnosed with severe dehydration and rhabdomyolysis, both of which were managed by the primary care team in a hospital setting with specialist input from the psychiatry and renal departments. The patient exhibited paranoid ideations toward the medical team and at times was agitated and combative. Resolution of this distrust was pivotal to successful treatment and was made possible through trilateral communication between the patient, the police officers, and medical staff.