Nontraumatic Rhabdomyolysis

Excerpt

To the editor: The recent paper by Koffler and associates (1) is an admirably documented addition to the literature on muscle injury and renal failure after narcotic and sedative overdose. I do have a concern, however, about the use of the designation "nontraumatic rhabdomyolysis". The literature on this subject, some of which is cited by the authors, points to the traumatic origin (compression during unconsciousness) of this syndrome in most instances. Indeed, the authors indicate that 17 of their 18 patients were either lethargic or in coma and that muscle swelling was present in 11. Two patients required fasciotomy and