[Acute myoglobinuric kidney failure as a consequence of autoaggressive behavior in mental retardation]

A 49-year-old female with mental retardation was admitted with suspected renal insufficiency with a raised creatinine (5.1 mg/dl), hyperkalaemia (5.6 mmol/l), and a 12-hour history of diffuse abdominal pain and persistent vomiting. On admission, she had a haematoma around the right shoulder and arm-pit, swelling of the right upper-arm, and severe limitation of movement of the right hand. These injuries were the result of trauma some 5 days previously. She was a long-term inpatient in a psychiatric clinic, with a history of autoaggressive behaviour, which had led to several fractures in the past as a result of falls. The creatinine kinase was elevated to 6680 U/l. The suspected diagnosis of acute oliguric renal failure due to rhabdomyolysis was confirmed by the presence of marked myoglobinuria (409 ng/ml). Because of the delay in diagnosis, acute renal failure developed, and the patient required haemodialysis for 20 days. Because of their many predisposing factors, psychiatric patients represent a special risk group for development of rhabdomyolysis, recognition of which is often delayed.