RT Book, Section A1 Yazdany, Jinoos A1 Manno, Rebecca A1 Hellmann, David B. A1 Imboden Jr., John B. A2 Papadakis, Maxine A. A2 McPhee, Stephen J. A2 Rabow, Michael W. SR Print(0) ID 1175803636 T1 Relapsing Polychondritis T2 Current Medical Diagnosis & Treatment 2021 YR 2021 FD 2021 PB McGraw-Hill Education PP New York, NY SN 9781260469868 LK accessmedicine.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1175803636 RD 2021/02/28 AB This disease is characterized by inflammatory destructive lesions of cartilaginous structures, principally the ears, nose, trachea, and larynx. Nearly 40% of cases are associated with another disease, especially either other immunologic disorders (such as SLE, rheumatoid arthritis, or Hashimoto thyroiditis) or cancers (such as plasma cell myeloma) or hematologic disorders (such as myelodysplastic syndrome). The disease, which is usually episodic, affects males and females equally. The cartilage is painful, swollen, and tender during an attack and subsequently becomes atrophic, resulting in permanent deformity. Biopsy of the involved cartilage shows inflammation and chondrolysis. Laryngotracheal and bronchial chondritis can lead to life-threatening airway narrowing and collapse. Noncartilaginous manifestations of the disease include fever, episcleritis, uveitis, deafness, aortic regurgitation, and rarely glomerulonephritis. In 85% of patients, a migratory, asymmetric, and seronegative arthropathy occurs, affecting both large and small joints and the costochondral junctions. Diagnosing this uncommon disease is especially difficult since the signs of cartilage inflammation (such as red ears or nasal pain) may be more subtle than the fever, arthritis, rash, or other systemic manifestations.