Delayed rhabdomyolysis secondary to anabolic-androgenic steroid use

Abstract

There are literature reports of anabolic-androgenic steroid-induced rhabdomyolysis. Here we describe a case of a patient presenting with acute confusion and rhabdomyolysis, following an unwitnessed seizure. He had a background of alcohol excess. Three days into his admission he developed dysphagia. At first, the patient denied the use of any medication or drugs. However, he later revealed he had used the anabolic steroid 'Anavar' (oxandrolone) for 60 consecutive days ending a month prior to his admission. The brief seizure was itself unlikely to have resulted in the severity of his rhabdomyolysis. Thus, we report a likely case of delayed rhabdomyolysis secondary to anabolic steroid use. The oropharyngeal dysphagia may be secondary to the rhabdomyolysis; there have been cases of this described in literature.

Keywords: Rhabdomyolysis; alcohol; anabolic-androgenic steroids; creatine kinase.