Clinical study of influenza-associated rhabdomyolysis with acute renal failure

Influenza-associated rhabdomyolysis induces renal failure with a fatal outcome. The aim of this study is to evaluate the clinical features, diagnosis, and treatment efficacy of influenza-associated rhabdomyolysis patients with acute renal failure (ARF).

The subjects included 6 patients who had presented with rhabdomyolysis and ARF due to influenza infection on admission to our university hospital and its 2 affiliated hospitals between January 2002 and February 2004. We retrospectively examined the cases.

All the patients (n = 6) were males, and none of them had received an influenza vaccine. The viruses were identified as influenza A (n = 5) and B (n = 1). Muscular weakness was observed in many cases (n = 5), whereas pain or tenderness was observed in only 1 case (n = 1). For anuric or oliguric patients (n = 4), blood purification therapy was performed, while for patients in whom the urine volume was normal (n = 2), conservative therapy was administered.

Careful medical attention is necessary when patients have muscle pain and weakness. Early recognition of rhabdomyolysis allows prompt institution of an appropriate therapy that includes blood purification and may minimize the renal dysfunction associated with this disorder.