Aims: To describe the aetiologies of paediatric rhabdomyolysis and explore the medium-term renal consequences.
Methods: Retrospective, single-centre review of children with rhabdomyolysis.
Results: Two hundred and thirty-two children met inclusion criteria for the analysis. Mean age at presentation was 8.4 (SD ± 5.5) years. The commonest aetiology was infection (28%), with viral myositis making up the clear majority (75%). Trauma was identified as a cause in 18% of children, seizures in 10% and immune-mediated mechanisms in 8%. Acute kidney injury (AKI) was present in 32% of the cases overall. Children with AKI tended to be younger, with higher peak creatine kinase (CK) and active urinary sediment on urinalysis at presentation. AKI and the need for renal replacement therapy (RRT) were associated with a prolonged hospital stay (15 (interquartile range, IQR 6.5-33) vs. 2 (IQR 0-7) days). A total of 18 children and young people required RRT, with a mean duration of 7.1 ± 4.3 days. Those who received RRT were more likely to have abnormalities on urinalysis at presentation (46% vs. 5%). Over the period of the study, 9% of children died and 2% met criteria for a diagnosis of chronic kidney disease.
Conclusions: This large paediatric rhabdomyolysis case series provides new and unique insights into the condition. Our results highlight the common aetiologies and provide evidence of good renal recovery overall, even in the most severely affected cases. Abnormalities of urinalysis appear to be important in predicting the development of AKI and the need for RRT.
Keywords: AKI; CKD; creatine kinase; paediatric; rhabdomyolysis.
© 2022 Paediatrics and Child Health Division (The Royal Australasian College of Physicians).