What condition should be suspected in a patient with an electrical burn and red urine but no RBCs in the blood?

• A. Acute Kidney Injury
• B. Rhabdomyolysis
• C. Hematuria
• D. Acid-Base Imbalance

Answer: (B)

In the context of this question, rhabdomyolysis is the condition to suspect in a patient who presents with an electrical burn and red urine without evidence of red blood cells (RBCs) in the blood. Rhabdomyolysis occurs when muscle tissue is damaged and myoglobin, a muscle protein, is released into the bloodstream. This process can be triggered by electrical injuries, as they can cause significant muscle injury.

The presence of red urine in this scenario is likely due to myoglobinuria, where the myoglobin released from damaged muscle cells is excreted in the urine, giving it a reddish-brown coloration. The absence of RBCs in the blood supports the diagnosis of rhabdomyolysis rather than hematuria, which is the presence of red blood cells in the urine typically resulting from a primary issue with the kidneys or urinary tract.

Acute kidney injury is a potential complication that can arise from rhabdomyolysis when high levels of myoglobin overwhelm the kidneys, but initially presenting with red urine and no RBCs makes rhabdomyolysis the more direct consideration. An acid-base imbalance can also develop in such scenarios but is not as directly linked to the primary symptoms of red urine