Tubulointerstitial nephritis and uveitis syndrome

Uveitis and acute renal failure can be seen in various immune-mediated systemic diseases. Here we present a case of a young man with a rare inflammatory oculorenal syndrome.

A man in his thirties was admitted with a constellation of fatigue, flank pain, weight loss and bilateral acute anterior uveitis. Laboratory tests showed anaemia, leukocytosis with eosinophilia, as well as elevated creatinine and C-reactive protein, and urine analyses demonstrated mild proteinuria. Work-up excluded sarcoidosis, Sjögren's syndrome, systemic lupus erythematosus, ANCA-associated vasculitides, Behçet disease, spondyloarthritis and infection. Renal biopsy showed severe tubulointerstitial nephritis.

Following exclusion of the abovementioned disorders, a diagnosis of tubulointerstitial nephritis and uveitis (TINU) syndrome was made. TINU syndrome is a rare inflammatory disorder which can be diagnosed in patients presenting with uveitis and tubulointerstitial nephritis after exclusion of other causes of similar oculorenal involvement.