Rhabdomyolysis Induced Acute Kidney Injury in a Patient with Leptospirosis / 영남의대학술지

ABSTRACT

Leptospirosis is a spirochetal infectious disease caused by Leptospira interrogans, and may vary in degree from an asymptomatic infection to a severe and fatal illness. The kidney is one of the principal target organs of Leptospira. Renal disorders caused by Leptospira infection vary from an abnormality in urinalysis to acute kidney injury (AKI). Incidence of AKI in severe leptospirosis varies from 40% to 60%. AKI reflects the severity of leptospirosis and is generally accompanied by cholestatic jaundice. The pathophysiology of AKI in leptospirosis consists of hypovolemia, direct tubular toxicity, and rhabdomyolysis. Most patients with acute leptospirosis experience severe myalgias, and show laboratory evidence of mild rhabdomyolysis. However, occurrence of severe rhabdomyolysis is rare. We report here on a patient with leoptospirosis, who had severe rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney injury without jaundice.