Are heat stroke and physical exhaustion underestimated causes of acute hepatic failure?
While cardiopulmonary symptoms are common in patients undergoing classical or, due to physical exercise, exertional heat stroke, the failure of other organs is a rarely described phenomenon. Here we present two cases of acute hepatic failure, one due to classic heat shock, while the other occurred while the patient was doing a marathon-type running. Both cases presented with very high transaminases and significantly elevated international normalized ratio (INR). No other causes for liver failure could be identified but physical exhaustion and hyperthermia.
Weigand
Kilian
K
Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Medicine IV, University of Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany. kilian.weigand@med.uni-heidelberg.de
Riediger
Carina
C
Stremmel
Wolfgang
W
Flechtenmacher
Christa
C
Encke
Jens
J
D000328:Adult; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000652:urine; D003404:Creatinine / Q000652:urine; D004798:Enzymes / Q000097:blood; D005221:Fatigue / Q000150:complications*; D018883:Heat Stroke / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D017114:Liver Failure, Acute / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D004798:Enzymes; D003404:Creatinine; D001663:Bilirubin