Serum myoglobin levels rise within hours of muscle damage but can return to normal within 1-6 hours if continuing muscle injury is not present.
The myoglogin sludging and obstruction can easily lead to complete blockage of tubules and Acute Kidney Injury. This is usually reversible but its development increases the mortality risk.
Estimates of mortality in those rhabdomyolysis patients who develop Acute Kidney Injury vary widely, with estimates ranging between 7% and 80%. This figure serves only to illustrate the importance of early detection and aggressive replacement therapy.
Learning Bite
Renal failure dramatically increases the risk of mortality.