[Acute rhabdomyolysis, myoglobinuria and renal insufficiency caused by ethanol: review of the literature and description of a clinical case with fatal outcome].

Several studies demonstrated that alcohol can induce both chronic and acute myopathy with myoglobinuria. Acute rhabdomyolysis is commonly followed by a renal failure (R.F.) of variable degree. The Authors report a case of rhabdomyolysis induced acute R.F. in a chronic alcoholic young man. The patient died in irreversible shock. Early diagnosis of the disease seems to be important, because early treatment can prevent acute myoglobinuric R.F.