Polycythemia and renal infarction in a bodybuilder

Abstract

### Learning Point for Clinicians Anabolic steroid androgens must be considered in the differential diagnosis of renal infarction in bodybuilders. This case highlights the importance of an accurate drug history in this type of patients. An imprecise drug history can induce costly, time consuming and unnecessary diagnostic procedures. These in turn can lead to an inappropriate therapeutic approach to misdiagnosed conditions. A 40-year-old patient with irrelevant medical history presented at the emergency room with a severe pain in the right lower back. The onset of the pain was acute and present for 24 h before the admission. He had no other complains. He was an amateur weight lifter and he did not report any illicit use of drugs. His physical examination was unremarkable. Laboratory findings revealed a haemoglobin of 17.9 g/dl and a …