rabdomyolysis

Term: rabdomyolysis

Literally meaning: “desrtuction of skeletal (striated) muscle”

Origin: Anc Greek

ράβδος/rabdos(=rod, stripe, stick)

+μυο-/myo-(=combining form meaning muscle) >μυς/mys/(=muscle) >μύω/myo(=enclosed like the muscle inside body or rat in its nest=epimys)

+λύσις/lysis (=dissolution, degradation, decomposition, destruction)  > verb λύω/leo =break down, solve, loose, degradate).

Coined/History

  The rhabdomyolysis syndrome was initially observed in the 13th century BCE in the Bible and was presumed to be caused by the human ingestion of migratory quail that consume large amounts of hemlock (conium) seeds. The disease was reported in Germany in 1881, but the first cases of crush syndrome and acute renal failure (ARF) were reported during the Sicilian earthquake in Messina in 1908, and in the German medical literature during World War I.

Sourse: Bywaters EGL, Beall D. Crush injuries with impairment of renal function. BMJ. 1941;1:427.

Definition

Rabdomyolysis is a potentially life-threatening syndrome in which muscle cells break down resulting in release of muscle proteins such as myoglobin and creatine phosphokinase in bloodstream. Patients are characterised by muscle weakness, muscular aches, brown colored urine  and an elevated plasma creatine kinase (CK) level. Rhabdomyolysis is caused by many factors such as medications (eg statins), trauma, toxins, gene mutations or viral infections.  Rhabdomyolysis may be inherited or acquired.