Myoglobinuria: a cause of acute renal failure in alcoholic hepatitis

TO THE EDITOR: Alcohol is known to cause nontraumatic rhabdomyolysis and its associated complications such as renal failure. The known causes of renal failure in alcoholic liver disease patients are nephrotoxic drugs, infections, gastrointestinal bleed, hypotension, and hepatorenal syndrome. Besides these, prerenal azotemia is known to occur because of repeated vomitings or poor intake. This report highlights the fact that myoglobinuric renal failure can occur in patients of alcoholic hepatitis and that this is a treatable cause.