Encefalopatía subaguda en una paciente con policondritis recidivante: caso clínico / Subacute encephalopathy associated with relapsing polychondritis: report of one case

Relapsing polychondritis (RP) is a rare multisystemic autoimmune disorder characterized by the inflammation and destruction of cartilages, with preference for auricular, nasal and laryngotracheal cartilages. RP may also affect proteoglycan-rich structures, such as, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys, and heart. The central nervous system (CNS) is involved in less than 3% of patients. We report a 32-year-old female with RP associated with a progressive subacute encephalopathy characterized by behavioral disturbances, auditory and visual hallucinations. The EEG showed generalized slow activity and a mononuclear pleocytosis with increased protein was found in the cerebrospinal fluid. The brain magnetic resonance imaging showed multiple supra and infratentorial nodular inflammatory lesions. After initiating treatment with corticosteroids and cyclophosphamide, a significant improvement in chondritis and neurological status was observed.

Policondritis recidivante: manifestaciones clínicas y tratamiento / Recurrent polychondritis. Clinical, diagnosis and treatment

La policondritis recidivante es una enfermedad rara caracterizada por la inflamación recurrente del cartílago y otros tejidos en todo el cuerpo. La afectación del oído es la característica más común, pero puede afectar otras áreas del cuerpo, incluidos el cartílago costal, los ojos, la nariz, las vías respiratorias, el corazón, el sistema vascular, la piel, las articulaciones, los riñones y el sistema nervioso. Los signos y síntomas varían de persona a persona según las partes del cuerpo afectadas. La causa subyacente exacta de la policondritis recidivante se desconoce, aunque los científicos sospechan que se trata de una enfermedad autoinmune. Las complicaciones respiratorias (colapso de la tráquea e infecciones) son la causa más común de muerte, seguidas de la afectación cardiovascular. Los objetivos principales del tratamiento son aliviar los síntomas actuales y preservar la estructura del cartílago afectado. Gracias a las mejoras en el tratamiento, en los últimos años las tasas de supervivencia han aumentado, incluso después de 10 años(AU)

Recurrent polychondritis is a rare condition characterized by recurrent inflammation of cartilage and other tissues throughout the body. Ear involvement is the most common feature, but a variety of other areas of the body may be compromised, including costal cartilage, eyes, nose, airways, heart, vascular system, skin, joints, kidneys and nervous system. The signs and symptoms vary from person to person depending on the body parts affected. The exact underlying cause of recurrent polychondritis is unknown; however, scientists suspect it is an autoimmune condition. The main goals of treatment for people with recurrent polychondritis are to alleviate current symptoms and preserve the structure of the affected cartilage(AU)

Relapsing polychondritis, a rare cause of valvulopathy: A review of the medical literature / Policondritis recurrente, una rara causa de valvulopatía: revisión de las publicaciones médicas

Abstract Relapsing polychondritis (RP) is an inflammatory disease that involves cartilaginous structures predominantly in the nose, ears, and respiratory tract. Cardiovascular involvement is not common. Despite this, they are the second cause of death in patients with RP. The structures usually affected by this disease are the heart valves, with regurgitation being the most common valvulopathy. We present the case of a patient without the previous diagnosis of RP who was referred to our institute with heart failure secondary to aortic regurgitation, initially attributed to endocarditis.

Resumen La policondritis recurrente (PR) es una enfermedad inflamatoria que afecta a estructuras cartilaginosas, predominantemente las que se encuentran en nariz, pabellones auriculares y vías respiratorias. Las manifestaciones cardiovasculares son poco comunes; sin embargo, son la segunda causa de mortalidad en pacientes con PR. Unas de las estructuras afectadas casi siempre en la PR son las estructuras valvulares y la valvulopatía más común es la insuficiencia aórtica (IA). A continuación se presenta el caso de una paciente sin diagnóstico previo de PR a quien se refirió a este instituto por insuficiencia cardíaca secundaria a IA, atribuida en un principio a endocarditis.

Clinical Features of Relapsing Polychondritis Patients Presented with Arthropathy / 中国医学科学院学报

Objective To explore the clinical characteristics of relapsing polychondritis(RP)patients presented with arthropathy. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 201 RP patients who were hospitalized in our center between December 2005 and February 2019.After 16 patients with co-existing other autoimmune diseases and malignancies were ruled out,185 RP patients entered the final analysis,among whom 16 RP patients were presented with arthropathy and 169 without arthropathy.The demographic data,clinical manifestations,laboratory findings,and prognosis were compared between these two groups. Results Five of the 16 RP patients with arthropathy at presentation were misdiagnosed as rheumatoid arthritis.Compared with RP patients without arthropathy at presentation,RP patients with arthropathy at presentation had a longer disease course[(37.50±66.50)months

Policondritis recidivante: presentación de un caso / Recurrent polychondritis: A case report

Paciente del sexo femenino de 31 años de edad, antecedentes de buena salud y madre diabética. Acudió a consulta por presentar condritis biauricular y nasal, artralgias y disnea progresiva de unas 3 semanas de evolución. Por su cuadro clínico bastante típico, así como por los resultados de los estudios complementarios, se diagnostica policondritis recidivante (PR), se prescriben esteroides y tratamiento convencional para la insuficiencia respiratoria crónica (IRC)con evolución tórpida a pesar del tratamiento(AU)

A 31-year-old female patient, with healthy medical history and a diabetic mother, attended the clinic for biatrial and nasal chondritis, arthralgia and progressive dyspnea of about three weeks' evolution. Due to its typically clinical picture, as well as to the results of complementary studies, recurrent polychondritis (PR) is diagnosed, steroids and conventional treatment are prescribed for chronic respiratory failure (CRF). Despite treatment, the patient had torpid evolution(AU)

Relapsing Polychondritis: A Case Report.

Relapsing polychondritis is a chronic, recurrent, episodic, inflammatory disease of unknown cause affecting predominantly the cartilaginous tissues of the body. Episodes last few days to weeks. All types of cartilages may be involved. The most common presentation is the involvement of pinnae cartilages. The term was coined by Pearson and was first described by Jacksch-Wartenhorst in 1923, who called it polychondropathies. Annual incidence is about 3.5/million with the peak age at onset ranging from 40 to 50 years. Autoimmune etiology is suspected. Diagnosis is based on McAdam et al., criterion. Corticosteroid remains the mainstay of treatment along with the anti-inflammatory drugs. Here we present a case of 18-year-old male who presented with the involvement of the laryngeal cartilages, which is a rare presentation and later there was an involvement of other cartilages too. Our patient had four of McAdams criteria and also responded to steroids.

Policondrite recidivante / Relapsing polychondritis

JUSTIFICATIVA E OBJETIVOS: A policondrite recidivante (PR) é uma doença multissistêmica, caracterizada por inflamação e destruição das cartilagens auriculares, nasais, laringotraqueais e articulares. Ocasionalmente, há o acometimento de outros tecidos. Com poucos relatos na literatura mundial, a PR é uma doença rara, com maior frequência na quarta década de vida. Sua etiologia permanece desconhecida, no entanto, fortes evidências sugerem patogênese autoimune. A PR pode ter curso grave ao comprometer o trato respiratório e levar à sua obstrução, ocasionando o óbito. O objetivo deste estudo foi rever os diversos aspectos clínicos da PR, como sua patogênese, quadro clínico, diagnóstico e tratamento, visando a ampliação do diagnóstico diferencial na clínica médica. CONTEÚDO: Através dos bancos de dados LILACS, Medline/Pubmed e Scielo foram selecionados 61 artigos, sendo estes de pesquisa, revisão de literatura e relato de caso. Utilizaram-se os descritores: policondrite recidivante, policondrite recorrente. O período considerado englobou 87 anos (1923-2010). CONCLUSÃO: A PR é uma doença pouco prevalente com dados restritos na literatura mundial, mas de potencial gravidade. Seus achados clínicos são sugestivos e incluem condrite auricular, nasal e poliartrite. O tratamento estipulado é empírico, e utiliza-se de anti-inflamatórios não esteroides (AINES), glicocorticóides, imunossupressores e em casos refratários, os agentes anti-TNF-α. Devido à possibilidade de evolução grave, a PR deve ter sua suspeita clínica sempre considerada em qualquer faixa etária acometida, visando um diagnóstico precoce e tratamento adequado de acordo com a atividade da doença.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Relapsing polychondritis (RP) is a multisystemic disease characterized by inflammation and destruction of auricular, nasal, laryngotracheal and junction cartilages. Ocasionally, other tissues are affected. With few reports in the world literature, RP is a rare disease, being more prevalent in the fourth decade of life. Its etiology remains unknown. However, strong evidences suggest an autoimmune pathogenesis. The RP may show a severe evolution when the respiratory tract is affected, and could lead to obstruction, causing patient's death. The objective of this study was to perform a literature review about the general clinical aspects of RP, such as its pathogenesis,clinical presentation, diagnosis and treatment, aiming at expanding the differential diagnosis in clinical medicine.CONTENTS: Through the LILACS, Medline/Pubmed and Scielo databases, 61 articles were selected. Among them, there where research articles, literature review and case reports. We used the following keywords: relapsing polychondritis, recurrent polychondritis. The considered period encompassed 87 years (1923-2010). CONCLUSION: RP is a barely prevalent disease, with restricted data in the world literature, but potentially severe. The clinical findings are suggestive of RP, including auricular and nasal chondritis, and polyarthritis. The prescribed treatment is empirical,with drugs such as non-steroid anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs), glucocorticoids, immunosuppressants and, in refractory cases,the anti-TNF-α agents. Due to the possibility of severe outcome of the RP, its clinical suspicion must be always considered in any age group, thus aiming at an early diagnosis and appropriate treatment according to the disease activity.

Policondrite recidivante e dispneia: relato de caso / Relapsing polychondritis and dyspnea: case report

JUSTIFICATIVA E OBJETIVOS: Trata-se de um relato de caso de doença reumática rara, com manifestações graves com ênfase na área de Otorrinolaringologia. O objetivo deste estudo foi alertar os clínicos e otorrinolaringologistas sobre a sua evolução,seguimento e complicações. RELATO DO CASO: Paciente do sexo feminino, 35 anos, desenvolveu policondrite recidivante na adolescência, com manifestações laríngeas que culminaram em traqueostomia definitiva. CONCLUSÃO: Há a necessidade de estar atento para complicaçõesfatais e apresentações não convencionais desta doença.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: This is one case report of a rare rheumatic disease with severe manifestations with emphasis in Otorhinolaryngology. Aims to alert clinicians and otolaryngologists about the evolution of the disease, follow up and complications. CASE REPORT: Female patient, 35 years, developed relapsing polychondritis in adolescents with laryngeal manifestations that led to permanent tracheotomy. CONCLUSION: There needs to be aware of fatal complications and unconventional presentations of this disease.

Manifestações clínicas na Policondrite Recidivante: relato de caso / Clinical manifestations of Relapsing Polychondritis: case report

A Policondrite Recidivante - PR é uma afecção sistêmica grave, de natureza imunológica, caracterizada por um processo inflamatório que acomete as estruturas cartilaginosas nasais e auriculares, vias aéreas superiores e articulações periféricas. O diagnóstico é basicamente clínico e as complicações otorrinolaringológicas podem ser as manifestações iniciais da doença. Tendo em vista a raridade da doença, objetivou-se descrever um caso de PR, atendida no Hospital das Clínicas da UFG em agosto de 2006. Para tanto, as etapas seqüenciais do atendimento foram descritas desde a consulta inicial, diagnóstico, tratamento até a alta hospitalar. As dificuldades vivenciadas pelos profissionais em dar seguimento ao tratamento, em função da resistência da paciente, provavelmente colaborou para agravamento da doença, culminando em seu óbito. O clínico deve estar atento frente a suspeita clínica de Policondrite Recidivante visando o seu diagnóstico precoce e tratamento.

The Relapsing Polychondritis - RP is a rare systemic affection, of immunological nature, characterize by an inflammatory process that affects cartilaginous structures, upper airway and peripheral articulation. The diagnosis is basically clinical and the otorhinolaryngological complications can be the initial manifestations of the illness. Having in view the rarity of the disease, it was objectified to describe a PR case attended at Hospital das Clínicas of UFG in august of 2006. Therefore, the sequential stages of the attendance had been described since the initial appointment, diagnosis, high treatment until the hospital one. The difficulties lived deeply for the professionals to proceed the treatment, in function of the resistance of the patient, probably collaborated for aggravation of the illness, culminating in its death. The physician must be alert in the presence of the clinical suspicion of Relapsing Polychondritis aiming at its precocious diagnosis and treatment.

La Policondrite Recidivante - PR es una afección sistémica grave, de naturaleza inmunológica. Caracterizada un proceso inflamatorio que acomete estructuras cartilaginosa nasales, vías aereas superiores y articulaciones periféricas. El diagnóstico es basicamente clínico y las complicaciones otorrinolaringológicas pueden ser las manifestaciones iniciales de la enfermedad. Esta enfermedad por ser rara, se objetivó describir un caso de PR, atendida en El Hospital de las Clínicas de La UFG en agosto de 2006. Para tanto, las etapas secuenciales del atendimiento fueron descritas desde la consulta inicial, diagnóstico, tratamiento hasta la alta hospitalar. Las dificultades vividas por los profesionales en dar seguimiento al tratamiento, en función de La resistencia de La paciente, probablemente colaboro para el agravamiento de la enfermedad, culminando en su óbito. El clínico debe estar atento frente a la sospecha clínica de Policondrite Recidivante visando su diagnóstico precoz y tratamiento.

Policondritis recidivante y compromiso neurológico / Neurologic involvement in relapsing polychondritis

La policondritis recidivante (PR) es un trastorno autoinmune multisistémico, de etiología desconocida, que se caracteriza por episodios recurrentes de inflamación y destrucción progresiva de las estructuras cartilaginosas y el tejido conectivo, pero que también puede afectar las estructuras con proteinglicanos como ojos, corazón, riñón y vasos sanguíneos produciendo vasculitis. Se presenta el caso de un paciente con criterios clínicos de policondritis recidivante con convulsiones, y una resonancia nuclear magnética de cerebro con imágenes hiperintensas en T2 y FLAIR, multifocales tanto en la sustancia gris como blanca, sugerentes de lesiones isquémicas, que mejoró con dosis altas de glucocorticoides. Se señala en esta enfermedad de muy baja prevalencia la presentación inusual de manifestaciones neurológicas reversibles con tratamiento.

Relapsing polychondritis is a multysistemic inflammatory disease, of unknown etiology. It is characterized by recurrent episodes of inflammation with progressive destruction of cartilaginous structures and connective tissue. It may also affect tissues that contain proteoglycans like eyes, heart, kidney, and blood vessels causing a picture of vasculitis. We report here the case of a patient with relapsing polychondritis and seizures. The magnetic resonance imaging of the brain showed multiple hyperintense signals in the T2 weighted images and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (flair), suggesting ischemic injuries, that improved with high doses of glucocorticoids. We remark the unusual presentation with neurological involvement in this uncommon disease that has improved with treatment.

Relapsing polychondritis in an elderly male.

A 65 years patient presented with left ear swelling, swelling of the nasal bridge with congestion of the eyes. Clinically there was evidence of left auricular chondritis, nasal chondritis and conjunctivitis with a history of multiple similar episodes in the past, features suggestive of relapsing polychondritis. The patient improved with oral prednisolone.

Policondrite recidivante associada a meningoencefalite: relato de caso / Relapsing polychondritis associated with meningoencephalitis: case report

Policondrite é entidade com acometimento recorrente de qualquer cartilagem, principalmente nasal e auricular, apresenta evolução progressiva e recorrente. Está raramente associada a afecção do sistema nervoso. Descrevemos um paciente cuja manifestação inicial foi de meningoencefalite, com posterior recorrência do quadro seguido de condrite auricular e nasal. Essa associação distingue-se pela raridade e pelo fato de que o quadro neurológico antecedeu a policondrite. Seu reconhecimento permitiu o tratamento adequado e evolução satisfatória com corticosteróides e methotrexato.

Policondrite recorrente / Relapsing polychondritis

A policondrite recorrente é uma doença pouco comum, com lesões inflamatórias afetando estruturas cartilaginosas, principalmente do pavilhão auricular. Provavelmente de origem auto-imune, apresenta evolução episódica e comprometimento flogístico das cartilagens com posterior deformidade...

Policondritis recidivante: informe de un caso y revisión de la literatura / Policondritis: Acase report and review of literature

La policondritis recidivante (RP) es una enfermedad inflamatoria multisistémica caracterizada por lesión del cartílago, oídos, articulaciones y laringe. Su etiología es desconocida. Informamos de un paciente masculino de 48 años de edad, con dos meses de condritis auricular, proteinuria y alteraciones en la audición. La biopsia de cartílago mostró inflamación crónica. El tratamiento con prednisona fue efectivo para suprimir las manifestaciones agudas; sin embargo, ante la progresión del daño renal se administró azatioprina

Policondritis recidivante. Manifestaciones otorrinolaringológicas y reporte de un caso / Relapsing polychcondritis: ear, nose throat symptoms

La policondritis recidivante (PR) es una enfermedad multisistémica rara que produce un síndrome clínico característico consistente en episodios recurrentes, progresivos, de inflamación cartilaginosa, particularmente de pabellones auriculares, nariz, laringe, tráquea, articulaciones costocondrales y anillos valvulares cardiacos; puede asociarse con afecciones sistémicas como vasculitis, escleritis, epiescleritis, glomerulonefritis; alteraciones de grandes vasos, oído medio e interno y alteraciones del funcionamiento hepático. Se presenta un caso de PR en el que las manifestaciones iniciales, de igual manera que en la mayoría de las series reportadas, involucra oídos, nariz y vías respiratorias altas, con una revisión bibliográfica enfocada principalmente al área otorrinolaringológica

Relapsing polychondritis

Purpose: This article describes a clinically-diagnosed case of relapsing polychondritis (RP), attended at the Hospital Sao Paulo, and presents a literature review of the subject. Source of research: The literature review was made via Medline (1990-96), Lilacs (1980-96), textbooks of rheumatology, and some articles about the history of the disease. In Medline, 113 articles from 1990 to 1996 were found, and there were 23 articles from 1980 to 1996 in Lilacs. Research procedure: We reviewed the articles available at BIREME (Biblioteca Regional de Medicina) with the primary focus being on the disease in question. Summary: RP is a rare disease of unknown etiology described initially by Jackson-Wartenhorst in 1923 and characterized by a recurrent and acute inflammatory process that causes the collapse of the cartilaginous structures and their subsequente replacement by fibrous connective tissue. The cartilage most commonly attacked is that of the auricle of the ear and nasal septum, while the cartilage of the trachea, larynx, epiglottis, ribs, and articulations may also be involved. Ocular inflammations and systemic reactions with fever are also described. In 1976, McAdam presented a complete prospective study of 23 patients, reviewed the 136 cases described up until that time, and then proposed diagnostic criteria which were later expanded by Damiani and Levine. Currently, more than 500 cases have been described. Conclusion: Although a rare disease, better knowledge of it is needed, as RP may be lethal with tracheal collapse and obstruction of respiratory pathways, making precise diagnosis and adequate therapeutic intervention necessary.