Rhabdomyolysis Without Acute Kidney Injury in a 14-Year-Old Child With a Sedentary Lifestyle

A 14-year-old African American female patient presented to the emergency department with moderate right calf pain of unknown origin. The pain was present for a couple of days without radiation and progressed with an inability to bear weight. Physical examination revealed tenderness to palpation over the right calf. The patient had no history of overweight, trauma, infection, or extreme physical exertion. She took no medications, supplements, herbals, or used any illegal drugs. Of note, the patient was sedentary. Her blood work revealed elevated creatine kinase and liver enzymes, diagnostic of rhabdomyolysis. All other diagnostic evaluations, including EKG, chest X-ray, leg ultrasound, creatine kinase-MB, urinalysis, thyroid levels, and CBC were unremarkable. No other inherited conditions were identified in lab work. The patient was given dextrose 5% in water with sodium bicarbonate and switched to aggressive hydration via normal saline until discharge.