title: Relapsing Polychondritis Complicated by Vasculitis of the Omentum.
abstract: A 78-year-old man presented with bilateral auricular and nasal chondritis and an inner ear disorder. Relapsing polychondritis (RPC) was diagnosed and corticosteroid therapy was initiated. Two years later, he developed abdominal pain and a fever. A contrast-enhanced computed tomography scan showed enhancement of the mesentery and massive ascites. The patient underwent emergency laparotomy, which revealed inflammation and thickening of the omentum. A microscopic examination of the omentum disclosed vasculitis, and corticosteroid and cyclophosphamide pulse therapies were administered. We herein report the first case of RPC complicated by pathologically proven vasculitis of the omentum, clearly indicating an association between the pathogenesis of these two conditions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Teikyo University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshitaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.forename: Kurumi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Asako
authors.forename: Hirotoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kikuchi
authors.forename: Kazufusa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hoshimoto
authors.forename: Yuko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sasajima
authors.forename: Hajime
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kono
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008643:Mesentery / Q000473:pathology; D009852:Omentum / Q000473:pathology*; D011081:Polychondritis, Relapsing / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D014657:Vasculitis / Q000150:complications*