{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,9]],"date-time":"2026-01-09T18:45:39Z","timestamp":1767984339588,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":10,"publisher":"BMJ","issue":"12","content-domain":{"domain":["bmj.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["BMJ Case Rep"],"accepted":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,16]]},"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2025,12]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>Rhabdomyolysis is a serious condition caused by skeletal muscle breakdown and can present with severe generalised pain, elevated creatine kinase and myoglobinuria. We report a rare case of rhabdomyolysis likely induced by chronic pregabalin abuse (15-year history of non-prescribed use) in a physically active man in his 20s. Despite the absence of trauma, infection or other known causes, he presented with typical symptoms and laboratory findings of rhabdomyolysis. He improved significantly with supportive care, including intravenous fluids and analgesia, and was discharged after stabilisation. This case highlights the importance of considering pregabalin as a potential myotoxic agent\u2014even without overdose\u2014particularly in young patients with unexplained muscle pain. Careful monitoring of drug history and early recognition are essential to prevent complications such as acute kidney injury and to ensure full recovery.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1136\/bcr-2025-268929","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,2]],"date-time":"2025-12-02T08:30:21Z","timestamp":1764664221000},"page":"e268929","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/crossmarkpolicy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Rhabdomyolysis in a young adult following chronic non-prescribed pregabalin use"],"prefix":"10.1136","volume":"18","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0007-5364-7763","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Yasir Yahya","family":"Khan","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Collage of medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5946-2128","authenticated-orcid":false,"suffix":"MD","given":"Mohammed S","family":"Alshahrani","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Emergency medicine and critical care, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"239","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,1]]},"reference":[{"key":"2025120200301722000_18.12.e268929.1","unstructured":"Stanley M . Rhabdomyolysis. In: StatPearls. 2024. Available: https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/books\/NBK448168\/#:~:text=%5B36%5D%20Rhabdomyolysis%20can%20occur%20at,children%20is%20infection%20(30%25 [accessed 15 Jul 2025]."},{"key":"2025120200301722000_18.12.e268929.2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.3389\/fphar.2023.1197470","article-title":"Rhabdomyolysis associated with newer-generation anti-seizure medications (ASMs): a real-world retrospective and pharmacovigilance study","volume":"14","author":"Deng","year":"2023","journal-title":"Front Pharmacol"},{"key":"2025120200301722000_18.12.e268929.3","unstructured":"Cross AL , Viswanath O , Sherman AL . Pregabalin. In: StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing, 2025. Available: https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/books\/NBK470341\/"},{"key":"2025120200301722000_18.12.e268929.4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s40263-015-0303-6"},{"key":"2025120200301722000_18.12.e268929.5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3904\/kjim.2023.379"},{"key":"2025120200301722000_18.12.e268929.6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1177\/03000605241257776","article-title":"Pregabalin-induced rhabdomyolysis: a case series and literature analysis","volume":"52","author":"Zhai","year":"2024","journal-title":"J Int Med Res"},{"key":"2025120200301722000_18.12.e268929.7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2169\/internalmedicine.48.1766"},{"key":"2025120200301722000_18.12.e268929.8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"221","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijscr.2016.07.007","article-title":"Pregabalin- and azithromycin-induced rhabdomyolysis with purpura: An unrecognized interaction: A case report","volume":"26","author":"Kato","year":"2016","journal-title":"Int J Surg Case Rep"},{"key":"2025120200301722000_18.12.e268929.9","unstructured":"Adverse drug reaction probability scale (Naranjo) in drug induced liver injury. In: LiverTox: clinical and research information on drug-induced liver injury. Bethesda (MD): National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, 2012. Available: https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/books\/NBK548069\/"},{"key":"2025120200301722000_18.12.e268929.10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Bin Dayel FF , Alfirevic A , Chadwick AE . Developing in vitro models to define the role of direct mitochondrial toxicity in frequently reported drug-induced rhabdomyolysis. MDPI; 2023. Available: https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2227-9059\/11\/5\/1485 [Accessed 14 Jul 2025].","DOI":"10.3390\/biomedicines11051485"}],"container-title":["BMJ Case Reports"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/syndication.highwire.org\/content\/doi\/10.1136\/bcr-2025-268929","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,2]],"date-time":"2025-12-02T08:30:23Z","timestamp":1764664223000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/casereports.bmj.com\/lookup\/doi\/10.1136\/bcr-2025-268929"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,12]]},"references-count":10,"journal-issue":{"issue":"12","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,1]]},"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2025,12]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1136\/bcr-2025-268929"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/bcr-2025-268929","relation":{},"ISSN":["1757-790X"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1757-790X","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,12]]}}}