Rhabdomyolysis and acute renal failure complicating detergent ingestion

• Published in: Singapore medical journal Vol. 41; no. 4; pp. 182 - 183
• Main Authors: PRABHAKAR, K. S, PALL, A. A, WOO, K. T
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Singapore Singapore Medical Association 01.04.2000
• Subjects: Acute Kidney Injury - chemically induced; Acute Kidney Injury - complications; Acute Kidney Injury - therapy; Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Detergents - poisoning; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Kidney Function Tests; Male; Medical sciences; Nephrology. Urinary tract diseases; Nephropathies. Renovascular diseases. Renal failure; Renal Dialysis; Renal failure; Rhabdomyolysis - chemically induced; Rhabdomyolysis - complications; Rhabdomyolysis - therapy; Suicide, Attempted; Tropical medicine; Kidney disease; Human; Urinary system disease; Detergent; Toxicity; Acute; Male; Rhabdomyolysis; Ingestion; Case study; Striated muscle disease; Etiology; Renal failure
• ISSN: 0037-5675

Rhabdomyolysis should be considered in the aetiology of all patients with unexplained acute renal failure (ARF). Early recognition provides the opportunity to initiate therapy aimed at preventing or limiting nephrotoxicity from the released heme pigment, myoglobin. We report an adult patient who developed ARF following the ingestion of a large amount of household detergent which, as far as we are aware, has not been previously described. The report illustrates the importance of measuring muscle enzyme levels and urinary myoglobin to confirm the possibility of rhabdomyolysis in any unusual presentation of ARF.