[ANCA associated glomerulonephritis related to benzylthiouracil]

Benzylthiouracil-induced glomerulonephritis

Vasculitis is a rare complication of antithyroid drugs (ATDs). It was first described with Propylthiouracil (PTU). We report a new case of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) vasculitis with glomerulonephritis induced by Benzylthiouracile (BTU). A 50-year-old man with Graves disease treated with BTU developed general malaise and haematuria without skin rash or respiratory involvement. Laboratory data revealed acute renal failure with proteinuria and haematuria. An indirect immunofluorescence test for ANCA was positive, showing a perinuclear pattern with specificity antimyeloperoxidase (MPO). A renal biopsy was performed and revealed pauci-immune extracapillary glomerular nephropathy and necrotic vasculitis lesions. Based on these findings we concluded to the diagnosis of rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis associated with ANCA induced by BTU therapy. The drug was therefore discontinued and the patient was treated with steroids and immunosuppressive treatment during 3 months. Renal failure, proteinuria and haematuria significantly improved within 2 months. However, P-ANCA remained positive until 10 months after drug withdrawal. Thyroid function was kept within normal range using iodine solution. We demonstrated clearly that BTU may induce severe forms of vasculitis with glomerulonephritis. Thus, the ANCA must be measured when confronted to systemic manifestation during treatment.

[Thyroid involvement in Wegener's granulomatosis: a case report]

Wegener's granulomatosis is a systemic necrotizing vasculitis affecting small to medium-sized vessels, characterized by involvement of the upper airways, lungs and kidneys. Endocrine involvement, particularly the thyroid gland is extremely rare. We report a 56-year-old woman presenting a limited form of Wegener's granulomatosis with the following clinical manifestations: sinusitis, pulmonary nodules, diabetes insipidus and a cold thyroid nodule. A right hemithyroidectomy was performed and the histopathological examination revealed a necrotizing vasculitis surrounded by granulomatous lesions. She was treated by corticosteroids without immunosuppressive therapy with a favourable outcome.

[Benzylthiouracil induced ANCA-positive vasculitis: study of three cases and review of the literature]

INTRODUCTION

Vasculitis with antineutrophilic cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) have been reported in patients treated with anti-thyroid drugs, especially propylthiouracil. Benzylthiouracil, which exhibits similar structural likeness with propylthiouracil, has been recently observed to be associated with Anca-positive vasculitis.

CASES REPORT

We present a study of three women with Grave's disease aged 21, 37 and 40 years, who were treated with benzylthiouracil. These patients developed vasculitis characterized by constitutional symptoms (two patients), joint pain (two patients), renal involvement (two patients), pulmonary hemorrhage (one patient) and multiple neuropathy (one patient). All patients presented p-ANCA with anti-MPO pattern. Discontinuation of benzylthiouracil and treatment with corticosteroids improved systemic involvement in all patients.

CONCLUSION

Much like other anti-thyroid drugs, benzylthiouracil can be associated with ANCA-positive vasculitis. Because of the gravity of this complication, clinical monitoring is recommended in patients taking benzylthiouracil. If vasculitis develops, the anti-thyroid drug should be discontinued and corticosteroid treatment, with immunosuppressors in some cases, is initiated.

Vascularite avec atteinte rénale et anticorps anticytoplasme des polynucléaires neutrophiles (ANCA) après prise de benzylthio-uracile chez l'enfant

Vasculitis associated to antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) is a rare complication of therapy with antithyroid medication. They were mainly described in patients treated with propylthiouracil (PTU), carbimazole, methimazole and rarely by benzylthiouracil (Basden). We report a case of 12-years-old girl treated by benzylthiouracil for Grave's disease who developed after 2 years vasculitis associated with cutaneous involvement (generalized ulcer necrotic purpura) and glomerulonephritis with proteinuria of 24 hours at 26 mg/kg/day, microscopic hematuria and renal failure with creatinemia level at 135 micromol/l. The ANCA type antiMPO (myeloperoxidase) was positive. The histology study of the renal needle biopsy was in favour with focal necrotizing glomerulonephritisand crescents with different evolutive stages. The discontinuation of benzylthiouracil and the treatment by the corticoids involved a disappearance of cutaneous lesions, a negative result of proteinuria, a normalization of the renal function (creatinemia=84 micromol/l) and a disappearance of hematuria and ANCA. These results permitted to announce hypothesis that benzylthiouracil was implicated in development of vasculitis associated to ANCA.

ANCA-associated diffuse alveolar hemorrhage due to benzylthiouracil

Benzylthiouracil has been recently observed to be associated with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-positive vasculitis, resulting in crescentic glomerulonephritis. We report an 8-year-old girl treated with benzylthiouracil for Graves's disease who developed an ANCA-positive vasculitis with pulmonary hemorrhage. She responded to corticosteroids and discontinuation of benzylthiouracil. This represents the first pediatric case of benzylthiouracil-induced diffuse alveolar hemorrhage.

Carbimazole induced eosinophilic granulomatous vasculitis localized to the stomach

Vasculitis associated with anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies has been reported in patients treated with anti-thyroid drugs and especially propylthiouracil. We report here a case of granulomatous eosinophilic vasculitis mimicking gastric neoplasm and peripheral eosinophilia in a 27-year-old man who was treated with carbimazole for 5 months for Graves' disease. Clinical and morphologic features resolved within 2 months after stopping the drug, suggesting a causative role for the drug. To our knowledge, this is the first biopsy-proven granulomatous eosinophilic vasculitis associated with this drug.

Vascularite à anticorps anticytoplasme de polynucléaires neutrophiles induite par le benzylthio-uracile

INTRODUCTION

Several cases of vasculitis associated with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) have been reported in patients treated with synthetic anti-thyroid drugs but only 2 cases have incriminated benzylthiouracil.

OBSERVATION

A 36 year-old woman, 3 years after treatment with benzylthiouracil, rapidly developed progressive kidney failure, related to a pauci-immune extra-capillary glomerular nephropathy and necrotic vasculitis lesions. The search for p-ANCA was positive with anti-myeloperoxidase specificity. She was treated with corticosteroids and 6 monthly intravenous pulses of cyclophosphamide substituted by azathioprine. Renal failure and proteinuria significantly improved. However the high level of p-ANCA.

CONCLUSION

ANCA vascularities are a rare but serious complication of treatment with synthetic thiouracile-type anti-thyroid drugs. The ANCA must be measured when confronted with a systemic manifestation during treatment.