title: Pigment-induced nephropathy after sjambok injuries.
abstract: During a 12-month period, 42 patients required admission to hospital after sjambok beatings. Eighteen showed no abnormality of serum electrolyte values or renal function but urinary pigment precipitation was present in 9 patients. A further 16 patients demonstrated abnormalities of serum urea and electrolyte values, the commonest of which was a subnormal venous carbon dioxide content, in conjunction with urinary pigment precipitation in 14 cases. The remaining 8 patients presented with, or developed, varying degrees of renal failure. In 4 of these patients, the sole initial biochemical abnormality was a subnormal venous carbon dioxide level. Based on the initial laboratory findings, four groups of patients may be identified with gradations of soft-tissue injury. Recognition of those patients at risk of developing crush syndrome is facilitated and appropriate treatment may be instituted at an early stage thereby reducing morbidity and mortality.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Natal, Durban.
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Muckart
authors.forename: A T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Abdool-Carrim
mesh_terms: D058186:Acute Kidney Injury / Q000209:etiology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003444:Crush Syndrome / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006456:Hemoglobinuria / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009212:Myoglobinuria / Q000209:etiology; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000150:complications*