[Exercise-induced rhabdomyolysis - a new trend?].

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether or not there has been an increase in the number of admissions for exercise-induced rhabdomyolysis at Stavanger University Hospital (SUS) in recent years.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

The study is a retrospective review of patients discharged over the period January 2010 to March 2015 with a diagnosis of exercise-induced rhabdomyolysis and with maximum creatine kinase (CK) levels more than ten times the upper reference limit.

RESULTS

A total of 33 patients, 21 women and 12 men, with a median age of 28 years (18 - 68), were included in the study. Of the 33 patients, three quarters (25) were admitted in 2014 - 15, compared with eight over the period 2010 - 13. One patient developed kidney failure that required dialysis. The treatment depended more on the attending physician and department than on the patient's clinical condition and CK-level, but this did not seem to affect the rate of complications.

INTERPRETATION

The incidence of exercise-induced rhabdomyolysis at SUS increased from autumn 2014, and this coincided with increased media attention and a new exercise trend. We recommend standardising the treatment of exercise-induced rhabdomyolysis, as current treatment recommendations are based on rhabdomyolysis triggered by causes other than exercise.