A Case of Rhabdomyolysis Caused by Group A beta-hemolytic Streptococcal Tonsillopharyngitis / 대한신장학회잡지

ABSTRACT

Bywaters and beall first reported rhabdomyolysis during World War II; the pigmented casts were found in renal tubules of 4 patients who died of acute renal failure after crushing injury. Since then, several cases of rhabdomyolysis with or without acute renal failure have been reported. The causes such as surgical injuries, excessive exercise, and drug abuse have been suggested as possible etiologies of rhabdomyolysis. Rhabdomyolysis is a clinical syndrome as a result of releasing of myocyte components from the injured striated muscles into blood stream. Clinical manifestations have ranged from asymptomatic elevation of creatinine kinase to acute renal failure which is a life threatening medical emergency. The most common cause of rhabdomyolysis is traumatic muscular injury. The others include alcohol abuse, metabolic disorder, drug, toxins, carbon monoxide poisoning, burn, vascular occlusion, excessive exercise, and bacterial or viral infections and sepsis. Among these, rhabdomyolysis caused by Group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus is very rare. However, rhabdomyolysis due to pharyngitis has not been reported. We report a case of rhabdomyolysis associated with Group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus.