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Rhabdomyolysis follows direct injury to the skeletal muscle fibers, specifically the sarcolemma, which then release myoglobin into the bloodstream. Myoglobin is an oxygen-binding protein pigment found in skeletal muscle. When this muscle is damaged, myoglobin is released into the bloodstream. It’s then filtered by the kidneys.
Myoglobin may occlude the structures of the kidney causing damage, such as acute tubular necrosis or kidney failure. Myoglobin can also cause kidney failure because it breaks down into potentially toxic compounds. Necrotic skeletal muscle may cause massive fluid shifts from the bloodstream into the muscle, reducing the relative fluid volume of the body and leading to shock and reduced blood flow to the kidneys.
The disorder may be caused by any condition that results in damage to skeletal muscle. Rhabdomyolysis may result from blunt trauma; extensive burn injury; viral, bacterial, or fungal infection (such as legionnaire’s disease or, especially, influenza type A or B); prolonged immobilization; near electrocution or near drowning; metabolic or genetic factors; drug therapy; or toxins. Heavy exercise in children may result in rhabdomyolysis. Other causes include shaken baby syndrome, exposure to extreme cold, heatstroke, and snakebite.
In the United States, rhabdomyolysis affects about 8% to 15% of people with acute renal failure and has a slightly higher incidence in men than in women. The overall mortality rate is 5%. It can occur in infants, toddlers, and adolescents who inherited enzyme deficiencies of carbohydrate and lipid metabolism or those with inherited myopathies, such as Duchenne’s muscular dystrophy, and malignant hyperthermia.
Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005
Source: The 5-Minute Pediatric Consult, 2008
The term 'prevalence' of Rhabdomyolysis usually refers to the estimated population of people who are managing Rhabdomyolysis at any given time. The term 'incidence' of Rhabdomyolysis refers to the annual diagnosis rate, or the number of new cases of Rhabdomyolysis diagnosed each year. Hence, these two statistics types can differ: a short-lived disease like flu can have high annual incidence but low prevalence, but a life-long disease like diabetes has a low annual incidence but high prevalence. For more information see about prevalence and incidence statistics.
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