RELAPSING POLYCHONDRITIS

Relapsing polychondritis, an uncommon, chronic, multisystem disorder c haracterized by recurrent episodes of inflammation of cartilaginous ti ssues, can be life-threatening, debilitating, and difficult to diagnos e. This review is based on the authors' experience with 36 patients wi th relapsing polychondritis who were followed from 1980 to 1997, 30 pa tients located elsewhere who completed a detailed questionnaire and in terview, and a perusal of English-language textbooks and papers locate d by a systematic search of the MEDLINE database. Relapsing polychondr itis can present in a highly ambiguous fashion; therefore, in the auth ors' series, the mean delay from the time medical attention was sought because of symptom onset until diagnosis was 2.9 years. Although pred nisone was the main form of treatment, methotrexate seemed to be of ad ditional value. Survival was much more favorable than previously thoug ht. Greater awareness of relapsing polychondritis would probably lead to earlier diagnosis and better outcomes.