Chronic thyroiditis complicated by nephrotic syndrome and marked hydroureteronephrosis

A case of chronic thyroiditis complicated by nephrotic syndrome and marked hydroureterone-phrosis in a 38-year-old female is reported. Renal biopsy yielded findings closely resembling mem-branoproliferative glomerulonephritis. Localized thyroglobulin was identified in the glomerular base-ment membrane by the indirect immunoperoxidase method. Contracted bladder due to intersitial cystitis was thought to be the main cause of the hydroureteronephrosis. Thyroid related immune complex was regarded as the main factor in the developing nephropathy and contracted bladder in this case. Various antigens such as DNA, hemolytic streptococcus, staphylococcus, tumor antigen and type B hepatitis virus have been indicated as antigens for some cases of immune complex type nephritis. [1] -[5] Recently, some rare cases of immune complex type nephritis with components of the thyroid gland as the antigen have been reported. [6]-[14] The authors report here a case of chronic thyroiditis complicated by nephrotic syndrome and contracted bladder showing obvious hydroureteronephrosis with confirmed evidence of thyroglobulin deposits within the glomeruli.