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Several cases of glomerular disease have been associated to thyroid diseases. The most frequent lesion described is membranous glomerulopathy, presented as a nephrotic syndrome. Here we report a 67-year-old man who developed a nephrotic syndrome accompanied by rapid derangement of renal function shortly after the onset of a primary hypothyroidism due to autoimmune thyroiditis. High titers of circulating anti-thyroglobulin and anti-microsomal thyroid antigen antibodies were detected. Serum levels of C3 and C4 fractions of complement were markedly decreased. Renal biopsy showed a membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis with severe mesangial proliferation, a type of glomerular involvement non-described previously in the literature, in relation with thyroid diseases. Four boluses of intravenous steroids were administered, followed by oral prednisone for three months. A dramatic recovery of renal function, together with normalization of urinary sediment, proteinuria decrease and normalization of serum complement were observed. Three years later, the patient suffered from a similar event, with a positive response to steroids again. One year later, the patient had a new recurrence and was treated with mycophenolate mofetil , improving his clinical situation.

Background: A prospective study was carried out to compare the evolution of thyroid hormones, thyroglobulin (Tg) and immunoglobulins inhibiting the binding of thyrotropin to its receptor (TBII) in patients with Graves disease treated with antithyroid drugs, radioactive iodine and subtotal thyroidectomy., Methods: Ninety-five patients with Graves disease were studied, being distributed according to clinical criteria: Group I (n = 35) patients treated with antithyroid drugs; Group II (n = 30) patients who received 131I; and Group III (n = 30) patients treated with subtotal thyroidectomy. The thyroid hormones, Tg, antithyroglobulin antibodies and TBII were determined by radioimmunoassay (RIA), prior to treatment, and at 1, 3, 6, 12, 24, and 36 months of follow up, except in those patients from Group III who were followed up to 24 months., Results: The rate of reactivation at 12 months did not significantly differ among the three groups. At 24 months a higher percentage of reactivations was observed in Group I (42%), versus Group II (16%, p < 0.001) and Group III (13%, p < 0.005). At 36 months reactivation was 30% in Group I, versus 5% in Group II (p < 0.01). Upon comparison of the TBII values among the three groups, the highest basal values corresponded to Group III with significant differences being found versus Group I (p < 0.05) and Group II (p < 0.001). TBII concentrations in the three groups studied remained high at 6 and 12 months with no significant differences being observed. Negativization was shown in the TBII at 24 months in Group II with a significant difference being seen versus Group I and III. At 36 months negativization was seen in the TBII in Group I with significant differences with respect to Group II., Conclusions: The rate of reactivation following antithyroid treatment is greater to that obtained in groups treated with iodine or surgery. The earliest negativization of TBII was obtained with radioiodine.