Drug-induced tubulointerstitial nephritis and uveitis syndrome with posterior uveitis resembling acute posterior multifocal placoid pigment epitheliopathy.

PURPOSE: To report the occurrence of acute posterior multifocal placoid pigment epitheliopathy (APMPPE)-like posterior uveitis as part of the ocular manifestation of tubulointerstitial nephritis and uveitis (TINU) syndrome.

METHODS

A 54-year-old previously healthy woman received oral ibuprofen and dipirone because of high fever and malaise. Three days after being started on this treatment, she developed bilateral posterior uveitis resembling APMPPE accompanied by anterior segment inflammation in the context of acute renal nephritis and maculopapular skin rash probably related to drug exposure.

RESULTS

The patient was hospitalized because of acute renal failure and received support therapy and topical steroids in both eyes. A renal biopsy was not performed (based on good clinical response), but she fulfilled the clinical criteria of acute interstitial nephritis and TINU. Although her renal and ocular functions improved in the first week, she needed to be readmitted days later because of fever and generalized edema and received steroid pulse therapy. Fluorescein angiography was consistent with an APMPPE-like pattern and optical coherence tomography showed neither macular edema nor subretinal fluid. The ocular picture improved during the following weeks with fundus changes resembling those of APMPPE.

CONCLUSION

Although anterior uveitis is considered the typical ocular component of TINU syndrome, posterior uveitis resembling APMPPE may also be its ocular manifestation.