During the 2 years before presentation, he had been treated multiple times with antibiotics for recurrent episodes of pain in both ears.
The physical examination revealed a tender, erythematous, and edematous left pinna, with sparing of the lobule. The patient also had a prominent saddle-nose deformity that had developed over the previous year. The costochondral joints were tender on palpation, and the left knee was swollen and tender.
Laboratory studies showed an erythrocyte sedimentation rate of more than 120 mm per hour (reference range, 0 to 15).
He received a diagnosis of relapsing polychondritis, a systemic autoimmune condition that affects cartilaginous structures, particularly of the ears, nose, joints, larynx, and large airways.
Prednisone was prescribed at a dose of 40 mg daily, and the patient had some alleviation of the pain and swelling within 2 weeks. After 1 month, therapy with methotrexate was started, and the prednisone was slowly tapered over a period of 6 months.
SIMILAR CASE: Polychondritis with Auricular and Ocular Involvement
