A case of relapsing polychondritis with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and perforation of the nasal septum at the onset.
A 33-year-old woman suffered from epistaxis and perforation of the nasal septum. Based on a biopsy of nasal mucosa, Wegener's granulomatosis was suspected initially. Her nasal symptoms improved spontaneously, but tinnitus, hearing loss, and dizziness appeared within 3 months. Laboratory analyses revealed no inflammation, and antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies were negative. Audiometry revealed bilateral sensorineural hearing loss. A second biopsy of the nasal septum showed an inflammatory change in the cartilage. Thus we diagnosed early-stage relapsing polychondritis.
Tsuda
Tokutaro
T
Institute of Rheumatology, Aoyama Hospital, Tokyo Women's Medical University, 2-7-13 Kita-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-0061, Japan.
Nakajima
Ayako
A
Baba
Sayumi
S
Tanohara
Kiyoko
K
Masuda
Ikuko
I
Yamada
Toru
T
Takagi
Kae
K
Yamakawa
Takuya
T
Kamatani
Naoyuki
N
Hara
Masako
M
D000328:Adult; D001299:Audiometry; D001706:Biopsy; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000473:pathology; D009300:Nasal Septum / Q000293:injuries* / Q000473:pathology; D011081:Polychondritis, Relapsing / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology*