SESSION TITLE: Management of COVID-19-Induced Complications
SESSION TYPE: Rapid Fire Case Reports
PRESENTED ON: 10/19/2022 12:45 pm - 1:45 pm
INTRODUCTION: Myalgias are one of the most common manifestations of a COVID infection. Myositis is much less reported with the spectrum of presentation ranging from asymptomatic elevation of creatinine kinase (CK) to rhabdomyolysis. Further understanding is required to formulate evidence based protocols for management and prognostication.
CASE PRESENTATION: A 25-year-old male smoker, unvaccinated for COVID presented to the hospital with fever, weakness and myalgias and tested positive for COVID. Examination showed mild tenderness in the proximal muscles of the lower extremities. Labs were significant for metabolic acidosis, hypocalcemia, hyperkalemia, acute kidney injury, AST 6178, ALT 1340, CK > 36000 and CPK > 60000 and gross hematuria. Electrolyte abnormalities were corrected and he received aggressive hydration with intravenous fluids containing bicarbonate. Oxygen requirements increased and he received dexamethasone and Baricitinib for COVID. His creatinine continued to increase despite downtrending transaminases and CK. Ultrasound liver was normal. He developed bilateral pleural effusions and mild ascites suspected secondary to volume overload in the setting of acute renal failure. Hemodialysis was initiated and he received a total of 6 sessions of hemodialysis over the next week. Creatinine, BUN and GFR significantly improved. AntiJo1 Ab ordered to rule out polymyositis was negative. Transaminitis and raised CK levels downtrended alongside the COVID inflammatory markers and oxygen requirements as the patient was weaned to room air.
DISCUSSION: The spectrum of COVID myositis reported thus far covers asymptomatic elevation of muscle enzymes, myasthenia, paraspinal myositis, dermatomyositis and rhabdomyolysis (1). The pathophysiology of COVID myositis has been hypothesized to be through ACE2 receptor mediated viral entry into muscle fibers leading to activation of innate and adaptive immunity. Other proposed mechanisms include the release of inflammatory cytokines and molecular mimicry with cross reaction of the antiviral antibodies. Myositis was most reported most commonly among males aged 33–87 (1). Symptoms when present include fevers, cough, shortness of breath, myalgias and proximal, lower limb–dominant, acute, and symmetric weakness. Peak CK values as high as 33,000 U/L have been reported (2). In general, patients diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis appear to have negative myositis-specific autoantibodies and higher CK levels than those without, highlighting the need for close monitoring of CK levels. Rhabdomyolysis associated fatality was reported to be as high as 45% (4 of 9 reported) over a short follow-up duration (1). Our case documents a recovery period in days-weeks with hydration and hemodialysis (3).
CONCLUSIONS: Areas for exploration include factors predisposing patients to rhabdomyolysis, utility of checking enzyme levels and impact of vaccination on disease severity.
Reference #1: Saud A, Naveen R, Aggarwal R, Gupta L. COVID-19 and Myositis: What We Know So Far. Curr Rheumatol Rep. 2021 Jul 3;23(8):63. doi: 10.1007/s11926-021-01023-9. PMID: 34216297; PMCID: PMC8254439.
Reference #2: Husain R, Corcuera-Solano I, Dayan E, Jacobi AH, Huang M. Rhabdomyolysis as a manifestation of a severe case of COVID-19: A case report. Radiol Case Rep. 2020 Jul 7;15(9):1633-1637. doi: 10.1016/j.radcr.2020.07.003. PMID: 32690987; PMCID: PMC7340044.
Reference #3: Byler J, Harrison R, Fell LL. Rhabdomyolysis Following Recovery from Severe COVID-19: A Case Report. Am J Case Rep. 2021 May 8;22:e931616. doi: 10.12659/AJCR.931616. PMID: 33963170; PMCID: PMC8127859.
DISCLOSURES: No relevant relationships by Asim Amjad
No relevant relationships by Sarasija Natarajan
No relevant relationships by Pius Ochieng
No relevant relationships by Yamini Patel