title: Relapsing polychondritis in childhood--case report and short review.
abstract: Relapsing polychondritis (RP) is a disease of unknown etiology and it is characterized by inflammation of the cartilage. While the clinical picture of RP in adults is well described, RP in childhood is poorly documented. We describe a young girl presenting with acute dyspnea, stridor and polyarthritis. The diagnosis of RP was made 2 years after first presentation, when auricular chondritis occurred. Based on a MEDLINE search, reports on RP in childhood were reviewed. The frequency of chondritis and systemic manifestations of RP in children was compared to data in adults and found to be very similar. RP in childhood can be a life-threatening and debilitating disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Heinrich Heine University of Duesseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Knipp
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bier
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Horneff
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Specker
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schuster
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schroten
authors.forename: H G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Lenard
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Niehues
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001379:Azathioprine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011081:Polychondritis, Relapsing / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D013256:Steroids / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D013256:Steroids; D016572:Cyclosporine; D001379:Azathioprine