Acute Kidney Injury and Rhabdomyolysis as an Initial Presentation of Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis

Abstract

The myopathy associated with hypothyroidism is usually mild and causes myalgia,stiffness, fatigability, and muscle weakness. Severe forms of myopathy, such as rhabdomyolysiswith acute kidney injury (AKI), have rarely been reported in hypothyroidpatients. We describe a young patient who presented with generalized body aches,cramps, and abdominal pain with vomiting after physical exercise. His laboratory studiesdemonstrated that he had rhabdomyolysis and AKI secondary to hypothyroidism;both resolved with thyroid hormone replacement. Hypothyroidism should be consideredin the differential diagnosis of rhabdomyolysis when common causes are excluded.