Clinical presentation and outcomes of patients with rhabdomyolysis A tertiary care center experience

Objectives: To evaluate the clinical and laboratory features, complications, and outcomes of patients with rhabdomyolysis in the Saudi population. Methods: Retrospectives descriptive study of adult patients who presented to King Abdulaziz Medical City (KAMC) withrhabdomyolysis between January 2016 and December 2022. Results: Most of the participants (84.5%) were male, with a median age of 41 years and a body mass index of 26.5 kg/m(2). Medications, mainly statins (22.4%) and illicit drugs (15.5%), constituted the root causes of rhabdomyolysis in the cohort (44.8%). The most common presenting complaints were myalgia (63.8%) and fatigue (37.9%). More than one-third of the participants (32.8%) developed AKI, with 3 patients requiring temporary hemodialysis, and only 8.6% developed acute liver failure (ALF). Intensive care unit (ICU) admission was required for 10 patients (17.2%), and the overall mortality rate was 8.6%. Patients who developed complications (composite outcomes of AKI, ALF, multiorgan failure, or death) had significantly reduced kidney function and higher levels of blood urea nitrogen, anion gap, and uric acid upon admission than those who did not. Conclusion: This study offers a thorough understanding of clinical and laboratory features, causes, complications, and outcomes of rhabdomyolysis among Saudi patients. The insights gained enhance our understanding of rhabdomyolysis within this population, providing a foundation for future research and improvements in clinical management.