A Case of Celiac Disease Complicated by Rhabdomyolysis

Abstract

At 37 years old, a patient developed chronic watery diarrhea, generalized pain, severe hypokalemia and elevated creatine kinase levels. She was thought to have rhabdomyolysis due to hypokalemia from chronic diarrhea. No organic cause was found. Her symptoms subsided with potassium correction, but hypokalemia persisted; she visited our hospital at 44 years old. Endoscopy detected prominent atrophy of the intestinal villi. Histology indicated Marsh-Oberhuber type-3b disease. Anti-gliadin and anti-tissue transglutaminase IgA antibody tests were positive. She was diagnosed with celiac disease and started on a gluten-free diet, which improved her symptoms. This report is only the tenth of its kind worldwide.