Insidious airway involvement in patients with relapsing polychondritis

• DOI: 10.3760/cma.j.issn.1007-7480.2018.07.005
• Publication Date: 2018-07-15
• Authors: Zhengang Wang; Nan Chen; Li Cui; Yuan Gao
• Keywords: Chondritis

Objective To investigate clinical and imaging characteristics of patients with relapsing polychondritis (RP) insidious airway involvement.

Methods Data collected prospectively consecutively for the diagnosis RP their disease activity evaluation was analyzed. The t-test Mann-Whitney U test were used statistical analysis between two groups forquantitative datain normal distri-bution non-normal distribution respectively, while Chi-square use qualitative data analysis.

Results Two hundred sixteen complete from Dec 1, 2007 to Jul 31, 2016 enrolled a M∶F ratio 1∶1. Mean age onset (44±16)(8~86) years. median duration 12 (0.3~480) month. index (RPDAI) 35 (8~67), RPODI 2.4 (0.1~84). top three initial presentation auricular chondritis (28.7%), (24.1%) ocular involvement (22.2%) respectively. significantly higher in (4.4) (Z=-2.084, P<0.05) lower nose (0.6) (Z=-2.425, . Up 81.5% found damage 52.3% them asymptomatic. Airway mostly located trachea (79.0% 139/176) common features on CT scan werecharacterized by wall thickening (72.7%, 128/176). narrowing seen symptomatic calcification more asymptomatic patients. Insidious hearing-loss not related obvious (χ2=15.580, P<0.01), (χ2=8.105, P<0.01) be damage. All before organ-driven.

Conclusion Airway is one most presentation-sand half are reasonable marker evaluation. Routine follow-up (wall thickness, lumen narrowing) essential early recognition.

Key words: Polychondritis, relapsing; Airway obstruction; Early