title: Transient creatine phosphokinase elevations in children: a single-center experience.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the etiologies and evolution of rhabdomyolysis in children.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a retrospective study of patients with rhabdomyolysis who were seen in our tertiary care university-affiliated pediatric hospital. Patients in outpatient clinics, seen in the emergency department, or admitted from 2001 to 2002 were selected. With a standardized case report form, we collected predetermined data from each patient's chart.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 130 patients with rhabdomyolysis were included in the study (male, 56%; mean age, 7.5 ± 5.9 years). The median elevation of creatine phosphokinase was 2207 IU/L (range, 1003 to 811 428 IU/L). The most frequent diagnoses were viral myositis (29, 22.3%), trauma (24, 18.4%), surgery (24, 18.4%), hypoxia (12 , 9.2%), and drug reaction (8, 6.2%). Metabolic myopathy was found only in one patient (0.8%). In 17 patients (13.1%), no definite diagnosis could be made.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Etiologies of rhabdomyolysis in children are varied and differ from those reported in adults. In most patients, rhabdomyolysis is benign and without recurrence. In our series, rhabdomyolysis was the initial symptom of a metabolic myopathy in only one patient.
authors: Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Sainte-Justine Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. sebperreault@hotmail.com
authors: Sebastien
authors: S
authors: Perreault
authors: Ala
authors: A
authors: Birca
authors: Dominique
authors: D
authors: Piper
authors: Amélie
authors: A
authors: Nadeau
authors: France
authors: F
authors: Gauvin
authors: Michel
authors: M
authors: Vanasse