The Renal Manifestations of Thyroid Disease

Thyroid hormones influence renal development, kidney structure, renal hemodynamics, GFR, the function of many transport systems along the nephron, and sodium and water homeostasis. These effects of thyroid hormone are in part due to direct renal actions and in part are mediated by cardiovascular and systemic hemodynamic effects that influence kidney function. As a consequence, both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism associate with clinically important alterations in kidney function and have relevance to its assessment. Disorders of thyroid function have also been linked to development of immune-mediated glomerular injury, and alterations in thyroid hormones and thyroid hormone testing occur in patients with kidney disease.