Korean J Gastroenterol.  2003 Jun;41(6):509-513.

Two Cases of Rhabdomyolysis Developed in Patients with Liver Cirrhosis

• Yim HJ
• Lee HS
• Oh SN
• Kim YS
• Choi CW
• Park CH
• Jeen YT
• Chun HJ
• Um SH
• Lee SW
• Choi JH
• Kim CD
• Ryu HS
• Hyun JH
• Suh YL

Abstract

Rhabdomyolysis is the consequence of extensive muscle necrosis resulting from trauma, drug, toxin, infection, and some metabolic disturbances. Not rarely rhabdomyolysis occurs in alcoholic cirrhotic patients because of electrolyte imbalances and some metabolic abnormalities. However, there is no report about rhabdomyolysis developed after myositis in patients with liver cirrhosis caused by hepatitis B virus infection. We experienced two cases of rhabdomyolysis developed in patients with liver cirrhosis. Two men (32- and 53-year-old) visited our hospital because of generalized muscle pain. They had been diagnosed as having liver cirrhosis due to HBV infection before. The muscle enzymes were very high and urine myoglobins were detected in both cases. Bone scans showed hot uptake of radioisotope on both thigh muscles and muscle biopsies showed necrosis of muscle fibers. The exact cause of rhabdomyolsis in these cases are not certain, but we assume that viral myositis had caused the rhabdomyolysis. We report these rare cases of rhabdomyolysis with a review of the literature.

Keyword

Rhabdomyolysis; Liver cirrhosis; Hepatitis B virus; Liver cirrhosis

MeSH Terms

Male
Humans
Biopsy