Diagnosing relapsing polychondritis remains a common challenge: experience from a Chinese retrospective cohort

Diagnostic Challenges and Management of Relapsing Polychondritis with Large-Airway Involvement: A Case Series and Literature Review

OBJECTIVES

Our aim was to investigate the diagnostic challenges and management of relapsing polychondritis (RP) with airway involvement, highlighting the need for accurate diagnosis and effective intervention to prevent severe complications.

METHODS

In this retrospective study, medical records from January 2011 through June 2024 at a single tertiary-care institution were reviewed. This study was approved by the institutional review board. A total of 34 patients were diagnosed with RP, among whom 4 presented with significant airway complications. This study focused on these four patients, detailing their clinical presentations, diagnostic processes, and outcomes following various interventions.

RESULTS

All patients were initially misdiagnosed with asthma and later developed severe airway issues necessitating interventions such as tracheotomy and endotracheal intubation. Diagnostic imaging, microlaryngoscopy and bronchoscopy (MLB) were crucial for identifying subglottic stenosis and other airway alterations. Treatments included high-dose steroids, rituximab, and surgical interventions such as balloon dilation and tracheostomy. Only one patient could be decannulated; the other three remained dependent on tracheostomy and experienced significant complications due to emergency medical interventions.

CONCLUSIONS

RP can manifest with nonspecific respiratory symptoms similar to asthma, which may delay correct diagnosis and appropriate treatment, leading to critical airway complications. The early, precise identification of RP, particularly with airway involvement, is vital. MLB and dynamic expiratory CT scans play significant roles in clinical diagnosis and management. A multidisciplinary approach involving otolaryngologists, rheumatologists, and pulmonologists is essential for optimizing patient outcomes and minimizing complications.

Relapsing polychondritis: clinical updates and new differential diagnoses

Relapsing polychondritis is a rare inflammatory disease characterized by recurrent inflammation of cartilaginous structures, mainly of the ears, nose and respiratory tract, with a broad spectrum of accompanying systemic features. Despite its rarity, prompt recognition and accurate diagnosis of relapsing polychondritis is crucial for appropriate management and optimal outcomes. Our understanding of relapsing polychondritis has changed markedly in the past couple of years with the identification of three distinct patient clusters that have different clinical manifestations and prognostic outcomes. With the progress of pangenomic sequencing and the discovery of new somatic and monogenic autoinflammatory diseases, new differential diagnoses have emerged, notably the vacuoles, E1 enzyme, X-linked, autoinflammatory, somatic (VEXAS) syndrome, autoinflammatory diseases and immune checkpoint inhibitor-related adverse events. In this Review, we present a detailed update of the newly identified clusters and highlight red flags that should raise suspicion of these alternative diagnoses. The identification of these different clusters and mimickers has a direct impact on the management, follow-up and prognosis of patients with relapsing polychondritis and autoinflammatory syndromes.

[Relapsing polychondritis]

Relapsing polychondritis (RP) is a rare multisystemic disease predominantly involving the extracellular matrix. Typical manifestations are chondritis of the ears, nose and trachea as well as an asymmetrical oligoarthritis or polyarthritis of small and also larger joints. Various other involvements have also been described. The treatment of RP is individually dependent on a variety of factors, e.g., organ manifestations. Glucocorticoids, immunosuppressants and targeted treatment are implemented. In the case of seronegative rheumatoid arthritis or vasculitis with an atypical course the symptoms of RP should be taken into consideration.

Ultrasonography of auricular cartilage is a potential tool for diagnosing relapsing polychondritis and monitoring disease activity

AIM

To assess the clinical utility of ultrasonography in the diagnosis and monitoring of disease activity in relapsing polychondritis (RP).

METHODS

Auricular and nasal chondritis of 6 patients with RP were assessed by ultrasonography before treatment initiation. Changes in the ultrasonographic and clinical findings and serum inflammatory markers were longitudinally assessed. Ultrasonography was also performed in 6 patients with repeat ear trauma, 6 patients with auricular cellulitis and 6 healthy controls for comparison among groups.

RESULTS

In all cases of RP, ultrasonographic findings before treatment revealed low-echoic swollen auricular and nasal cartilage and perichondral soft-tissue with increased power Doppler signals (PDS) corresponding to biopsy findings. After 2-month treatment with prednisolone (PSL) combined with methotrexate, clinical and serum inflammatory markers were completely resolved. Although swollen perichondral soft-tissue, cartilage and PDS on auricular ultrasonography were also significantly improved, PDS remained in 2 of 6 cases, which showed flare early after tapering PSL. Finally, ultrasonographic findings of RP were substantially differentiated between patients with repeat trauma and cellulitis and healthy controls based on the thickness of soft tissue around the cartilage, PDS and subperichondral serous effusion.

CONCLUSION

Assessment of RP lesions by ultrasonography is useful for the evaluation of cartilaginous lesions and monitoring of disease activity, especially when considering the treatment response and the timing of drug tapering.

Clinical patterns and the evolution of relapsing polychondritis based on organ involvement: a Chinese retrospective cohort study

Background

Relapsing polychondritis (RPC) is a rare autoimmune disease and its early diagnosis remains challenging. Defining the clinical patterns and disease course may help early recognition of RPC.

Results

Sixty-six males and 60 females were included in this study. The average age at onset were 47.1 ± 13.8 years and the median follow-up period was 18 months. Correlation analysis revealed a strong negative correlation between airway involvement and auricular chondritis (r = − 0.75, P < 0.001). Four distinct clinical patterns were identified: Ear pattern (50.8%), Airway pattern (38.9%), Overlap pattern (4.8%) and Airway-Ear negative pattern (5.6%), and patients with Ear pattern and Airway pattern were further divided into limited and systemic form of RPC (27.8% with limited form of Ear pattern and 24.6% with limited form of Airway pattern initially). During follow-up, a minority of patients with Ear pattern and Airway pattern progressed into Overlap pattern, and some Airway-Ear negative pattern patients progressed into Ear pattern. While a large majority of limited RPC patients remained limited form during follow-up, a minority of limited RPC patients progressed into systemic form. Patients with Ear pattern had the highest survival rate and relatively lower inflammatory status.

Conclusions

RPC patients can be categorized as 4 different clinical patterns and 2 distinct presenting forms (limited and systemic) based on organ involvement. The clinical patterns and presenting forms may evolve during follow-up. Our findings may facilitate early recognition of this rare disease.