[Original presentation of relapsing polychondritis: four cases].

INTRODUCTION

The diagnosis of relapsing polychondritis is difficult as various manifestations may be encountered aside the characteristic episodes of recurrent chondritis.

CASE REPORTS

From the retrospective analysis of the medical charts of patients presenting with relapsing polychondritis seen at Nîmes hospital between 1995 to 2006, four were selected for their original extra-cartilaginous manifestations. Case 1: relapsing polychondritis was diagnosed at the time of a thromboembolic event associated with a right uveitis, left temporomandibular arthritis and bilateral sensorineural deafness. Case 2: relapsing polychondritis occurred in a patient with history of bilateral sensorineural deafness with punctuated keratitis followed by a relapsing cutaneous leucocytoclastic vasculitis. Case 3: relapsing polychondritis associated with recurrent thromboembolic disease and a Sweet's syndrome and case 4: relapsing polychondritis presenting with a febrile erythema.

CONCLUSION

The reported observations highlight the difficulty of the initial diagnosis of relapsing chondritis and the variety of the extra-chondritis manifestations that could be observed in this disease.