Propofol-associated rhabdomyolysis with cardiac involvement in adults: Chemical and anatomic findings

Propofol, a central-acting sedative agent, has been implicated in the devel opment of rhabdomyolysis in children. We describe two adults who developed rhabdomyolysis after receiving high rates of propofol infusion. Rhabdomyoly sis of both skeletal and cardiac muscle was suggested in both patients by m arked increases of creatine kinase (>170 000 U/L) and cardiac troponin I (1 1 and 46 mu g/L in patients one and two, respectively). Creatine kinase and cardiac troponin I values were highly correlated in each patent (r = 0.786 and 0.988 in patients one and two, respectively). Autopsy of one patient c onfirmed the diagnosis of skeletal and cardiac rhabdomyolysis. (C) 2000 Ame rican Association for Clinical Chemistry.