2022 Volume 13 Issue 1 Pages 59-63
The cause of non-infectious uveitis is often unknown, and the one with tubulointerstitial nephritis is called tubulointerstitial nephritis and uveitis (TINU) syndrome. Although hyperthyroidism is rarely associated with TINU, we experienced a case of non-infectious uveitis associated with transient tubulopathy and hyperthyroidism at the same time. The patient was a 13-year-old girl who presented to her local ophthalmologist with a chief complaint of conjunctival hyperemia. She was diagnosed as uveitis and referred to our ophthalmology department. Although the uveitis improved with steroid eye-drops, her blood tests showed positive rheumatoid factor and urine tests showed high levels of NAG and β2 microglobulin (β2MG). In addition, high levels of free triiodothyronine (FT3) and free thyroxine (FT4), and low levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) were found, and the patient was admitted to our hospital for a thorough examination. All autoantibodies associated with abnormal thyroid function were negative. Ultrasonography showed an irregular distribution of high and low echogenic areas in the thyroid gland. After 2 weeks of hospitalization, the levels of FT3, FT4 and TSH in the blood and the ones of urinary NAG and β2MG were normalized. In this case, tubulopathy and hyperthyroidism associated with non-infectious uveitis developed and went into remission at the same time. We believe that there is the mutual pathogenesis of these diseases, and we report this case based on the literature review.
