title: Relapsing polychondritis: clinical presentations, disease activity and outcomes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Relapsing polychondritis is a rare disease characterised by inflammation of cartilaginous and proteoglycan rich structures. As there are only a few published single centre case series from all across the world, we describe our experience with 26 patients at a tertiary centre in north India.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective study with all patients meeting Damiani and Levine's modification of McAdam's diagnostic criteria. Clinical details, investigations, disease activity assessment [(Relapsing Polychondritis Disease Activity Index (RPDAI)], treatment and outcomes were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ten men and sixteen women (median age 45 years) met the diagnostic criteria. Auricular chondritis (96%), arthritis (54%), hearing impairment (42%), ocular (42%), dermal (26%), cardiovascular (11%) and laryngotracheal involvement (11%) characterized the clinical presentations. The median RPDAI was 31 (range 9-66). Two patients died during observation. Overall survival was 92.3% (median survival 13.5 years).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Apart from reduced laryngotracheal involvement, RP in India was clinically similar to recorded patterns elsewhere.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Postgraduate Institute of medical education and research, Chandigarh, India. amansharma74@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Aman
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Postgraduate Institute of medical education and research, Chandigarh, India. arjun.d.law@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Arjun Dutt
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Law
authors.affiliation: University of Queensland, Bundaberg Hospital, Bundaberg, Australia. pradeepbambery@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Pradeep
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bambery
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Postgraduate Institute of medical education and research, Chandigarh, India. vinaysagarleo@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Vinay
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sagar
authors.affiliation: Division of Arthritis and Rheumatic Diseases, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA. awanchu@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Ajay
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wanchu
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Postgraduate Institute of medical education and research, Chandigarh, India. varundhir@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Varun
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Dhir
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Postgraduate Institute of medical education and research, Chandigarh, India. rajeshvijay999@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Rajesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vijayvergiya
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, Postgraduate Institute of medical education and research, Chandigarh, India. sharmakusum9@yahoo.co.in.
authors.forename: Kusum
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Postgraduate Institute of medical education and research, Chandigarh, India. akgpgi@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Ashok
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Postgraduate Institute of medical education and research, Chandigarh, India. npanda59@yahoo.co.in.
authors.forename: Naresh K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Panda
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Postgraduate Institute of medical education and research, Chandigarh, India. surjit51@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Surjit
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Singh
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011081:Polychondritis, Relapsing / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents