Rhabdomyolysis as Potential Late Complication Associated with COVID-19

Abstract

We describe a patient in Wuhan, China, with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection who had progressive pulmonary lesions and rhabdomyolysis with manifestations of lower limb pain and fatigue. Rapid clinical recognition of rhabdomyolysis symptoms in patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection can be lifesaving.

Keywords: 2019 novel coronavirus disease; COVID-19; China; SARS-CoV-2; Wuhan; respiratory diseases; rhabdomyolysis; severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; viruses; zoonoses.

Figure

Computed tomography (CT) scan of the lungs of a 60-year-old man before and after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and rhabdomyolysis, Wuhan, China, 2020. A) CT scan before diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection (3 days before hospital admission) revealed the lungs were thickened and scattered with ground-glass shadows. B) CT scan after diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection with rhabdomyolysis (on hospital day 10) indicated that most of both lungs were covered with ground-glass shadows. C) CT scan after SARS-CoV-2 infection with rhabdomyolysis (on hospital day 19) indicated that pulmonary inflammation was improved.