Clearance of myoglobin by high cutoff continuous veno-venous hemodialysis in a patient with rhabdomyolysis: a case report

A Systematic Review on Outcomes of Patients with Heatstroke and Heat Exhaustion

Introduction

Heatstroke (HS) is a severe form of heat-related illness (HRI) associated with high morbidity and mortality, representing a condition that includes long-term multiorgan dysfunction and susceptibility to further heat illness.

Methods

In a systematic review searching Medline PubMed from the studies conducted between 2009 and 2020, 16 papers were identified.

Results

A hallmark symptom of heat stroke is CNS dysfunction (a hallmark sign of HS) which manifests as mental status changes, including agitation, delirium, epilepsy, or coma at the time of the collapse. Acute kidney injury (AKI), gut ischemia, blood clots in the stomach and small intestine, cytoplasmic protein clumps in the spleen, and injury of skeletal muscle (rhabdomyolysis) are all characteristics of peripheral tissue damage. Severe heat stroke tends to be complicated by rhabdomyolysis, especially in patients with exertional heat stroke. Rhabdomyolysis may lead to systemic effects, including the local occurrence of compartment syndrome, hyperkalemic cardiac arrest, and/or lethal disseminated intravascular coagulopathy. Untreated heat stroke might exacerbate psychosis, lactic acidosis, consumptive coagulopathy, hematuria, pulmonary edema, renal failure, and other metabolic abnormalities. Core body temperature and level of consciousness are the most significant indicators to diagnose the severity of heat stroke and prevent unfavorable consequences. Heatstroke is a life-threatening illness if not promptly recognized and effectively treated.

Discussion

This review highlighted that core body temperature and white blood cell count are significant contributing factors affecting heat stroke outcomes. Other factors contributing to the poor outcome include old age, low GCS, and prolonged hospital stay. The prevalence of both classic and exertional heatstroke can be reduced by certain simple preventive measures, such as avoiding strenuous activity in hot environments and reducing exposure to heat stress.

Comparison of myoglobin clearance in three types of blood purification modalities

Myoglobin, which can cause acute kidney injury, has a relatively high molecular weight and is poorly cleared by diffusion. We compared and examined myoglobin clearance by changing the blood purification membrane and modality in patients with a myoglobin blood concentration ≥ 1000 ng/ml. We retrospectively analyzed three patient groups based on the following three types of continuous hemofiltration (CHF): AN69ST membrane, polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) membrane, and high-flow hemodiafiltration (HDF) with increased dialysate flow rate using the PMMA membrane. There was no significant difference in clearance in CHF between AN69ST and PMMA membranes. However, the high-flow HDF group showed the highest myoglobin clearance (p = 0.003). In the PMMA membrane, changing the treatment modality to high-flow HDF increased clearance above the theoretical value, possibly due to internal filtration. To remove myoglobin by kidney replacement therapy from patients with hypermyoglobinemia, a modality such as high-flow HDF would be desirable.

Rhabdomyolysis-induced acute kidney injury requiring hemodialysis after a prolonged immobilization at home in 2 morbidly obese women: case reports with literature review

Background

Rhabdomyolysis may develop into acute kidney injury (AKI), a life-threatening complication. Obese people are at risk for rhabdomyolysis due to prolonged immobilization. However, there are only a few reports of rhabdomyolysis-induced AKI due to prolonged immobilization after falls in morbidly obese people. Myoglobin is a causative compound for rhabdomyolysis-induced AKI, but the lack of treatments targeting its mechanism is a problem.

Case presentation

Two morbidly obese women (body mass index > 40.0 kg/m2) who fell on the floor at home and remained in the same posture for more than 12 h developed rhabdomyolysis-induced AKI. Both patients received aggressive fluid resuscitation but required hemodialysis because of persistent oliguria. They underwent 11 and 2 intermittent hemodialysis (HD) sessions with a conventional polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) high-flux dialyzer, respectively, and their renal functions returned to baseline after withdrawal of HD.

Conclusions

We should be aware that morbidly obese people are at risk for rhabdomyolysis-induced AKI due to prolonged immobilization, such as after falls. At present, prophylactic renal replacement therapy (RRT) is not recommended for rhabdomyolysis. We need to reevaluate whether RRT using the appropriate membranes to effectively remove myoglobin including the PMMA membrane can improve the renal outcome in patients with rhabdomyolysis-induced AKI.

Heat stroke with bimodal rhabdomyolysis: a case report and review of the literature

BACKGROUND

Severe heat stroke tends to be complicated with rhabdomyolysis, especially in patients with exertional heat stroke. Rhabdomyolysis usually occurs in the acute phase of heat stroke. We herein report a case of heat stroke in a patient who experienced bimodal rhabdomyolysis in the acute and recovery phases.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 34-year-old male patient was found lying unconscious on the road after participating in a half marathon in the spring. It was a sunny day with a maximum temperature of 24.2 °C. His medical and family history was unremarkable. Upon arrival, his Glasgow Coma Scale score was 10. However, the patient's marked restlessness and confusion returned. A sedative was administered and tracheal intubation was performed. On the second day of hospitalization, a blood analysis was compatible with a diagnosis of acute hepatic failure; thus, he received fresh frozen plasma and a platelet transfusion was performed, following plasma exchange and continuous hemodiafiltration. The patient's creatinine phosphokinesis (CPK) level increased to 8832 IU/L on the fifth day of hospitalization and then showed a tendency to transiently decrease. The patient was extubated on the eighth day of hospitalization after the improvement of his laboratory data. From the ninth day of hospitalization, gradual rehabilitation was initiated. However, he felt pain in both legs and his CPK level increased again. Despite the cessation of all drugs and rehabilitation, his CPK level increased to 105,945 IU/L on the 15th day of hospitalization. Fortunately, his CPK level decreased with a fluid infusion. The patient's rehabilitation was restarted after his CPK level fell to <10,000 IU/L. On the 31st day of hospitalization, his CK level decreased to 623 IU/L and he was discharged on foot. Later, a genetic analysis revealed that he had a thermolabile genetic phenotype of carnitine palmitoyltransferase II (CPT II).

CONCLUSIONS

Physicians should pay special attention to the stress of rehabilitation exercises, which may cause collapsed muscles that are injured by severe heat stroke to repeatedly flare up.

Bile cast nephropathy: A case report and review of the literature

Bile cast nephropathy is a condition of renal dysfunction in the setting of hyperbilirubinemia. There are very few cases of this condition reported in the last decade and a lack of established treatment guidelines. While the exact etiology remains unknown, bile cast nephropathy is presumed to be secondary to multiple concurrent insults to the kidney including direct toxicity from bile acids, obstructive physiology from bile casts, and systemic hypoperfusion from vasodilation. Therapy directed at bilirubin reduction may improve renal function, but will likely need dialysis or plasmapheresis as well. We report our case of bile cast nephropathy and the therapeutic measures undertaken in a middle-aged male with chronic renal insufficiency that developed hyperbilirubinemia and drug-induced liver injury secondary to antibiotic use. He developed acute renal injury in the setting of rising bilirubin. He subsequently had a progressive decline in renal and hepatic function, requiring dialysis and plasmapheresis with some improvement, ultimately requiring transplantation.