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2 nearly die after gorging on seafood
By Cai Wenjun |
December 3, 2012, Monday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
TWO people became critically ill when they developed organ failure and muscle breakdown, or rhabdomyolysis, after eating a large amount of seafood, doctors said yesterday.
The HuaDong Hospital treated a 16-year-old girl and a 35-year-old man last month. Doctors do not know what caused their illnesses, though they say the only thing they had in common was what they ate and the quantity.
"Though we don't have strong evidence to show seafood is the direct cause for their disease, it is an intriguing issue due to their condition," hospital official Zuo Gang said yesterday.
Rhabdomyolysis is the breakdown of muscle fibers that can release muscle fiber contents, mainly a protein called myoglobin, into the blood. Myoglobin is harmful to kidney cells and often results in kidney damage.
Rhabdomyolysis can be caused by crushing injuries, metabolic problems, viral infection, drug abuse or toxins.
According to Zuo, the girl ate a lot of seafood in one meal and started to develop syndromes like muscle pain, fever and little urine production and was sent to the hospital on the third day, when doctors found an indicator for rhabdomyolysis was over 1,700 times the healthy level.
She has had acute kidney failure and was sent to the intensive care unit immediately. She improved from critical condition after 17 treatments.
The 35-year-old man surnamed Wu was sent to the hospital one week later with a sudden stomachache. He had eaten a large number of hairy crabs for four consecutive days the previous week. Wu had acute kidney failure six hours after the pain and had multi-organ failure the next day.
"The patient had a rapid drop of platelets and there was bleeding in his mouth, nose and blood vessels under skin," Zuo said. "We transfused 8 units, equal to 1.6 liters of platelets, through the cooperation of Shanghai Blood Center to save him. He regained consciousness seven days later. He is recovering after another two-week treatment."
Both patients are undergoing outpatient treatment.
The HuaDong Hospital treated a 16-year-old girl and a 35-year-old man last month. Doctors do not know what caused their illnesses, though they say the only thing they had in common was what they ate and the quantity.
"Though we don't have strong evidence to show seafood is the direct cause for their disease, it is an intriguing issue due to their condition," hospital official Zuo Gang said yesterday.
Rhabdomyolysis is the breakdown of muscle fibers that can release muscle fiber contents, mainly a protein called myoglobin, into the blood. Myoglobin is harmful to kidney cells and often results in kidney damage.
Rhabdomyolysis can be caused by crushing injuries, metabolic problems, viral infection, drug abuse or toxins.
According to Zuo, the girl ate a lot of seafood in one meal and started to develop syndromes like muscle pain, fever and little urine production and was sent to the hospital on the third day, when doctors found an indicator for rhabdomyolysis was over 1,700 times the healthy level.
She has had acute kidney failure and was sent to the intensive care unit immediately. She improved from critical condition after 17 treatments.
The 35-year-old man surnamed Wu was sent to the hospital one week later with a sudden stomachache. He had eaten a large number of hairy crabs for four consecutive days the previous week. Wu had acute kidney failure six hours after the pain and had multi-organ failure the next day.
"The patient had a rapid drop of platelets and there was bleeding in his mouth, nose and blood vessels under skin," Zuo said. "We transfused 8 units, equal to 1.6 liters of platelets, through the cooperation of Shanghai Blood Center to save him. He regained consciousness seven days later. He is recovering after another two-week treatment."
Both patients are undergoing outpatient treatment.
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