Eight TWU Student-Athletes Hospitalized With Rare Condition
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DENTON (CBSDFW.COM) - Eight student-athletes at Texas Woman's University in Denton have been hospitalized with a potentially dangerous condition.
This past weekend the students were all admitted for medical treatment of symptoms related to rhabdomyolysis. The syndrome causes a breakdown of muscle tissue that releases a damaging protein into the blood.
Baylor University Medical Center Dr. David Winter explained, "The problem is when it starts those things that get into the bloodstream from muscle cell injury can cause damage to the kidneys, sometimes enough so that the kidneys can shot down. So it's a potentially very bad illness."
The university has released very little information about the incident and has not identified the affected student-athletes. Yesterday Vice President for Student Life Monica Mendez-Grant issued a statement that said, in part:
"The condition of all student-athletes is stable and improving. The university is assessing the situation and will take appropriate actions as necessary."
Dr. Winter said improper training and dehydration can lead to the condition that should always be taken seriously. "The severe ones can really set you back and you may not recover. Some of those folks even go on dialysis," he said, but also made clear that, "Most folks, [who] get a mild to moderate case, they recover and they're okay after that."
Symptoms of rhabdomyolysis can include muscle pain or weakness, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, fever and a rapid heart rate.
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