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What are some of the common causes of rhabdomyolysis?
Rhabdomyolysis may be caused by a wide range of conditions. Trauma or direct muscle injury is the most common cause and should be considered in any patient who presents with multiple injuries/trauma.
Common Causes of Rhabdomyolysis
| CAUSE | EXAMPLES |
|---|---|
| Trauma related/crush injury | Motor vehicle accidents, falls, workplace accidents, earthquakes |
| Vascular occlusion | Thrombosis, embolism, vessel clamping during surgery, malfunctioning endovascular stents |
| Muscular strain | Exercise induced, seizures, delirium tremens |
| Toxins/drugs | Alcohol, HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, barbiturates, corticosteroids, colchicine, fibrates, isoniazid, zidovudine, amphetamines, ecstasy, opiates, cocaine, neuroleptic malignant syndrome |
| Infection | Viral: Influenza, human immunodeficiency virus, Epstein-Barr virus, legionella, polio, coxsackievirus Bacterial: Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, toxic shock syndrome |
| Electrolyte disorders | Hypokalemia, hypophosphatemia, hypocalcemia |
| Inherited disorders of metabolism | Carnitine palmitoyl transferase II deficiency, phosphofructokinase deficiency, myophosphorylase deficiency (McArdle), coenzyme Q10 deficiency, myoadenylate deaminase deficiency |
| Autoimmune | Polymyositis, dermatomyositis |
| Others | Hyperthermia, hypothermia, electrical injury |
