Rhabdomyolysis - a Study of Patients and Laboratory Values to Guide Treatment

Rhabdomyolysis is a potentially life-threatening syndrome characterized by breakdown of skeletal muscle, and leakage of intracellular substances such as myoglobin and creatine kinase (CK) into the circulation. The aetiological spectrum of rhabdomyolysis is extensive, and the clinical spectrum varies from a transient subclinical increase in CK activity to acute kidney injury (AKI) as a serious complication. There are no large prospective studies and only a few retrospective studies on rhabdomyolysis.

The project will give much needed information about incidence, aetiologies and the clinical course of rhabdomyolysis. The main objective will be to study rhabdomyolysis with focus on the development of AKI and how laboratory values can guide treatment, and thus act as basis for guidelines. More knowledge is needed about rhabdomyolysis and long-term kidney injury, and the study will aim to identify a risk population for later kidney injury, thus being able to refer this group to follow-up and prevent further injury. On the other hand, exercise-induced rhabdomyolysis patients are probably hospitalized more than necessary these days, and over-treatment could be prevented if better guidelines were obtained. The possible cardiotoxicity of myoglobin needs further study, and would benefit the patient group but also fill a knowledge gap for the clinicians. Therefore, this project will ideally obtain new knowledge for the health services, potentially improve existing practice and fill important knowledge gaps.