Exercise-induced rhabdomyolysis - a patient series

• Published in: Tidsskrift for den Norske Lægeforening Vol. 137; no. 21
• Main Authors: Tazmini, Kiarash, Schreiner, Christoffer, Bruserud, Sidsel, Raastad, Truls, Solberg, Erik Ekker
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Norwegian
• Published: Norway 14.11.2017
• Subjects: Adult; Creatine Kinase - blood; Exercise - physiology; Female; Fluid Therapy; Humans; Male; Observational Studies as Topic; Resistance Training - adverse effects; Retrospective Studies; Rhabdomyolysis - blood; Rhabdomyolysis - etiology; Rhabdomyolysis - therapy; Rhabdomyolysis - urine; Sodium Bicarbonate - therapeutic use; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0807-7096
• DOI: 10.4045/tidsskr.16.1103

No guidelines are available for the treatment and follow up of exercise-induced rhabdomyolysis. The purpose of this study was to describe the treatment, complications and follow-up of patients with exercise-induced rhabdomyolysis at Diakonhjemmet Hospital. A retrospective observational study from 2011 up to and including 2015 of patients with exercise-induced rhabdomyolysis ≥ 18 years and with creatine kinase > 5 000 IU/l. We registered a total of 42 patients and obtained informed consent from 31. Twenty were treated as inpatients with a median hospitalisation time of 2.5 (1–6) days. Median creatine kinase was 36 797 (17 172–53 548) IU/l upon admission and 16 051 (11 845–26 505) IU/l at discharge. Median intravenous fluid volume was 6 000 (1 000–27 700) ml. Eleven patients underwent urinary alkalinisation. None developed severe kidney injury or other serious complications such as electrolyte imbalance, compartment syndrome or disseminated intravascular coagulation, either during hospitalisation or in the course of the study period. Healthy persons with exercise-induced rhabdomyolysis have a very low risk of complications. Our patients are treated as outpatients or considered for discharge with creatine kinase < 40 000 IU/l measured at least three days after their workout, and if they have no risk factors or other complications.