Late-onset rhabdomyolysis in burn patients in the intensive care unit

Propofol-Related Infusion Syndrome: A Bibliometric Analysis of the 100 Most-Cited Articles

Propofol-related infusion syndrome (PRIS) is a rare, yet life-threatening sequelae to prolonged administration of the anesthetic propofol in mechanically intubated patients. The condition is characterized by progressive multi-system organ failure and eventual mortality; of note, the predominant characteristics of PRIS involve but are not limited to cardiovascular impairment and collapse, metabolic and lactic acidosis, rhabdomyolysis, hyperkalemia, and acute renal failure. While potent or extended doses of propofol have been found to be the primary precipitating factor of this condition, others such as age, critical illness, steroid therapy, and hyperlipidemia have been discovered to play a role as well. This bibliometric analysis was done to reflect the current relevance and understanding of PRIS in recent literature. The SCOPUS database was utilized to conduct a search for articles with keywords "propofol infusion syndrome" and "propofol syndrome" from February 24, 2001, until April 16, 2023, with parameters for article title, citation number, citation per year, author, institution, publishing journal, and country of origin. PRIS was first defined in 1990, just a year after its approval by the Food and Drug Administration for use as a sedative-hypnotic. Since then, interest in PRIS slowly rose up to 13 publications per year in 2013. Seven papers on the topic were published in Critical Care Medicine, six in Neurocritical Care, and four in Anesthesia. The most common institutions were Mayo Clinic, Northeastern University, and Tufts Medical Center. To our knowledge, this is the first bibliometric analysis to evaluate the most influential publications about PRIS. A majority of the research is case-based, possibly owing to the rarity of the condition. Our research suggests that confounding factors outside the precipitating dosage of propofol may be implicated in the onset and progression of PRIS. This study could therefore bring renewed interest to the topic and lead to additional research focused on fully understanding the pathophysiology of PRIS in order to promote the development of novel diagnostics and treatment.

Higher risk of acute kidney injury and death with rhabdomyolysis in severely burned patients

BACKGROUND

Rhabdomyolysis is a severe condition responsible for up to 10% of acute kidney injury (AKI) cases. Severely burned patients are susceptible to developing both rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney injury, but whether burned patients with rhabdomyolysis are at greater risk of acute kidney injury compared to non-burned patients with rhabdomyolysis is unclear.

METHODS

TriNetX, a clinical research platform, was used to obtain electronic medical record information in 3 patient cohorts over the recent 20-year period. Cohort 1 included burn patients who developed rhabdomyolysis, cohort 2 were those who developed rhabdomyolysis due to non-burn causes, and cohort 3 included burn patients who did not develop rhabdomyolysis. Matching was performed to balance demographics and comorbidities for each cohort. Cohorts were then compared for the development of acute kidney injury and death.

RESULTS

We found 84 of 111 patients in cohort 1 (75.676%), 56 of 111 patients in cohort 2 (50.45%), and 18 of 111 patients in cohort 3 (16.216%) developed acute kidney injury within 5 days. The odds ratio for developing acute kidney injury for burned patients compared to non-burned patients with rhabdomyolysis was 3.056 with a 95% confidence interval of 1.726 to 5.41 (P < .05), and between burned patients with and without rhabdomyolysis was 16.074 with a 95% confidence interval of 8.263 to 31.268 (P < .05). The incidence of death within 1 year was also significantly higher in cohort 1 (48%) than the other cohorts (9% and 14%, respectively) (P < .05).

CONCLUSION

The risk of acute kidney injury and mortality in severely burned patients with rhabdomyolysis is significantly increased compared to matched non-burn patients with rhabdomyolysis or burned patients without rhabdomyolysis.

Beyond muscle destruction: a systematic review of rhabdomyolysis for clinical practice

Background

Rhabdomyolysis is a clinical syndrome that comprises destruction of skeletal muscle with outflow of intracellular muscle content into the bloodstream. There is a great heterogeneity in the literature regarding definition, epidemiology, and treatment. The aim of this systematic literature review was to summarize the current state of knowledge regarding the epidemiologic data, definition, and management of rhabdomyolysis.

Methods

A systematic search was conducted using the keywords “rhabdomyolysis” and “crush syndrome” covering all articles from January 2006 to December 2015 in three databases (MEDLINE, SCOPUS, and ScienceDirect). The search was divided into two steps: first, all articles that included data regarding definition, pathophysiology, and diagnosis were identified, excluding only case reports; then articles of original research with humans that reported epidemiological data (e.g., risk factors, common etiologies, and mortality) or treatment of rhabdomyolysis were identified. Information was summarized and organized based on these topics.

Results

The search generated 5632 articles. After screening titles and abstracts, 164 articles were retrieved and read: 56 articles met the final inclusion criteria; 23 were reviews (narrative or systematic); 16 were original articles containing epidemiological data; and six contained treatment specifications for patients with rhabdomyolysis.

Conclusion

Most studies defined rhabdomyolysis based on creatine kinase values five times above the upper limit of normal. Etiologies differ among the adult and pediatric populations and no randomized controlled trials have been done to compare intravenous fluid therapy alone versus intravenous fluid therapy with bicarbonate and/or mannitol.

Severe heart failure and rhabdomyolysis associated with propofol infusion in a burn patient

The authors report a favorable outcome in an adult burn patient, who developed severe propofol-related infusion syndrome presenting with rhabdomyolysis, acute kidney injury, and right-sided heart failure after a low-dose propofol infusion. Other possible causes for late-onset rhabdomyolysis after burn trauma were ruled out by extensive differential diagnostics. The most distinctive abnormal finding was a Brugada-type ST-segment elevation, reported previously associating with imminent death. The patient survived because of cessation of propofol infusion and continuous renal replacement therapy. ECG recording is important in early detection of propofol-related infusion syndrome. ST elevations in the ECG should lead to the immediate discontinuation of propofol.

Autologous creatinine clearance in a case of necrotizing fasciitis and anuria

Necrotizing fasciitis can present with concomitant acute kidney injury. The etiology of acute kidney injury is often multifactorial; potential sources include volume depletion, abdominal compartment syndrome, rhabdomyolysis, and acute tubular necrosis (which may be related to hemodynamic instability, medications, or sepsis/infection). Kidney injury, defined via changes in serum creatinine, portends increased morbidity and mortality. Thus, it is crucial to accurately diagnose and assess the severity of kidney injury. We present the case of a patient with necrotizing fasciitis who endured 31 consecutive days of complete anuria. His serum creatinine decreased over this interval without the use of extracorporeal hemofiltration or dialysis. The explanation for this novel phenomenon lies in massive daily sero-sanguineous discharge and insensible losses with subsequent volume resuscitation. The patient's own convective clearance was substantial enough to maintain a modest creatinine clearance of 15 ml/min during sustained anuria. Our case emphasizes the importance of employing the creatinine, estimated glomerular filtration rate, and urine output portions of the Acute Kidney Injury Network (AKIN) or Risk Injury Failure Loss End stage (RIFLE) criteria in assessing the severity of kidney injury. It further reinforces the imperfection in using serum creatinine as a primary measure of glomerular filtration rate.