title: Long-term Follow-up of Patients with Tubulointerstitial Nephritis and Uveitis (TINU) Syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the response to treatment in patients with tubulointerstitial nephritis and uveitis (TINU) syndrome over a long-term follow-up period.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nine patients with TINU syndrome were retrospectively reviewed. The mean follow-up was 54.8 months (range: 24-133 months).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean number of recurrences per year declined from 1.7 in the 1st year to 0.66 in the 2nd year of treatment. The ocular inflammation responded to local corticosteroids in two patients, systemic corticosteroids in two patients, immunosuppressive therapy in four patients, and anti-TNF-α blocking agent in one patient. The therapy could be discontinued in six (67%) patients after a mean treatment period of 29.5 months. In five patients, remission with the recurrence-free period of 12.8 months was achieved.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TINU syndrome was characterized by limited responsiveness to corticosteroid therapy and less by severe complications. A long-term course of immunosuppressants or biologics was necessary to control the uveitis and led to induction of remission.
authors.affiliation: a Center for Ophthalmology , Eberhard-Karls University Tübingen , Germany.
authors.forename: Bianka
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sobolewska
authors.affiliation: a Center for Ophthalmology , Eberhard-Karls University Tübingen , Germany.
authors.forename: Tarek
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bayyoud
authors.affiliation: a Center for Ophthalmology , Eberhard-Karls University Tübingen , Germany.
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Deuter
authors.affiliation: a Center for Ophthalmology , Eberhard-Karls University Tübingen , Germany.
authors.forename: Deshka
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Doycheva
authors.affiliation: a Center for Ophthalmology , Eberhard-Karls University Tübingen , Germany.
authors.forename: Manfred
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zierhut
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001685:Biological Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009395:Nephritis, Interstitial / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011379:Prognosis; D012008:Recurrence; D012074:Remission Induction / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013577:Syndrome; D013997:Time Factors; D014605:Uveitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001685:Biological Factors; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents
keywords: Beta-2-microglobulin; long-term follow-up; treatment; tubulointerstitial nephritis and uveitis syndrome