The myopathic effects of electrical injury.
BACKGROUND
In this study, we investigated the effect of voltage levels on muscle damage in patients with electrical injuries.


METHODS
This retrospective study included 36 patients with electrical injury (high voltage, 21; low voltage, 15). Initial serum creatine kinase (CK), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were obtained from each patient on admission.


RESULTS
Although CK levels were observed to be higher in the high-voltage injured patients than in those exposed to a low voltage, the difference was not statistically significant. The serum AST and ALT levels were elevated in both groups, but there was no significant difference between the groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Skeletal muscle damage can be caused by both high-voltage and low-voltage electrical injury, and in these patients, the degree of muscle damage may be consistent with the elevated initial serum levels of muscle enzymes, especially of CK. However, further researches are necessary to determine if there is strong evidence of a direct correlation between voltage level and the degree of muscle damage.
Aygün
Dursun
D
Department of Neurology, Ondokuz Mayis University, Faculty of Medicine, Samsun, Turkey. daygun@omu.edu.tr
Gönüllü
Hayriye
H
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D003402:Creatine Kinase / Q000097:blood; D004556:Electric Injuries / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D004560:Electricity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000473:pathology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D003402:Creatine Kinase