A 24 y/o athlete presents to your office with complaints of reddish discoloration of urine. He claims that he has been exercising and running vigorously for the past two days. He is very determined to lose the extra weight that he has put up in the recent months and has been fasting in the nights for the past one week. His past medical history is significant for two abdominal surgeries which included laparotomy and appendicectomy in the past for intermittent severe abdominal pain. The patient does not smoke but does occassional consumes alcohol in binges. He did involve in one such alcohol binge last night. Physical examination is benign except for decreased power and reflexes in bilateral lower extremities. There is no rash. His urine specimen was grossly red in color. Urine dipstick was negative for protein, blood, leucoesterase and nitrite. Urine microscopy did not reveal any RBCs, WBCs or Casts. Serum creatinine and complete blood count are with in normal limits. A Creatinine Phosphokinase ( CPK) level has been ordered but is not yet available. The most likely cause of this patient’s grossly red urine is :
A) Rhabdomyolysis
B) Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria
C) Acute Intermittent Porphyria
D) Await CPK level for correct diagnosis
E) Glomerulonephritis
Archer USMLE Step 3 and Internal medicine blogs are the products of highly successful Archer USMLE reviews. These blogs are run by board-certified teaching physicians. From time to time, several evidence based guidelines on disease management strategies and patient care will be posted and discussed here to help USMLE Step 3 examinees and those appearing for Internal Medicine Boards. These include the areas of medicine that are highly tested on USMLE 3 as well as Internal medicine board exams.