A Case of Relapsing Polychondritis Presenting As a Diffuse Tracheobronchial Tree Involvement.

Hwang, Jin Su; Park, Ji Hyun; Yoo, Wan Hee; Lee, Heung Bum; Lee, Yong Chul; Rhee, Yang Keun

doi:1999.46.6.861

Tuberc Respir Dis > Volume 46(6); 1999 > Article

Case Report

Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases 1999;46(6):861-868.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4046/trd.1999.46.6.861 Published online June 1, 1999.

A Case of Relapsing Polychondritis Presenting As a Diffuse Tracheobronchial Tree Involvement.

Jin Su Hwang, Ji Hyun Park, Wan Hee Yoo, Heung Bum Lee, Yong Chul Lee, Yang Keun Rhee

Department of Internal Medicine, Chonbuk National University, Medical School, Chonju, Korea.

Abstract

Relapsing polychondritis (RP) is a rare inflammatory disorder of unknown etiology, causing recurrent inflammatory and degenerative reactions involving the cartilaginous structures throughout the body. Generally, RP is known as multiorgan disease presented as auricular chondritis, arthritis, nasal chondritis, ocular inflammation, audiovestibular damage and respiratory tract inflammation. Major airway involvement occurs in more than 50% of the patient and has been reported to be the primary cause of death. Rarely, it may be presented with only respiratory symptoms without typical clinical manifestation of RP. We experienced a 64-year-old male patient with RP involving diffuse airway tract without other characteristic clinical manifestation and present here with a review of literatures.

Key Words: Relapsing Polychondritis, Tracheobronchial Tree