Breathing Difficulties As The First Symptom Of Relapsing Polychondritis

[Objective] To investigate the pathophysiological process and clinics of dyspneaas the first symptom of relapsing polychondritis (RP). Explore the significance ofearly diagnosis and effective treatment in RP.[Methods] Retrospective analysis of four cases of RP in patients with clinicaldata and examination, combined with a review of the literature.[Results] Relapsing polychondritis is a rare disease. RP histopathology ischaracterized by the melting of cartilage associated with perichondritis andeventually cause cartilage loss, tissue and organ collapse deformation. Once thelesions involving the larynx and trachea, and bronchial cartilage, there will bevarying degrees of difficulty in breathing. Difficulty in breathing for the firstsymptom of RP is often in critical condition.From year2006to2011,there areseven RP patients come to our hospital, and four of them cases of breathingdifficulties as the first symptoms. By Symptoms characteristics, endoscopic,radiographic examination, pulmonary function tests and laboratory tests, we candiagnosis the disease as soon as possible, and thus provide effective treatmentoptions based on the patient’s condition stage. After diagnosis, the4patients inthis group were treated with hormones and immunosuppressive therapy, thecondition of three cases of patients with early disease, have varying degrees ofease. Follow-up4-5years,3patients were alive, including two cases of the disease in the improvement or stability, one cases still in iterative paroxysm; onecases of disease in patients with advanced symptoms of hormone therapy withoutimprovement in the advanced disease stage, there is collapse in all gas Road,after the tracheotomy the condition of dyspnea failed to improve,at the sametime the style of dyspnea chang from inspiratory to expiratory, finally the patientdied of respiratory failure.[Conclusion]1.Relapsing polychondritis involving the larynx and trachea,often can cause different types of breathing difficulties, clinical patients oftentake the difficulty in breathing as the main symptoms of treatment,ENT doctorshould pay attention to this kind of patients and give timely diagnosis andsymptomatic treatment to them.2.The diagnosis of relapsing polychondritismostly relies on clinical manifestations, therefor the laboratory and imaging andother related auxiliary examination also can make the diagnosis easier, helpunderstanding the development process of the disease and determineindividualized treatment plans.3.The best treatment for relapsing polychondritisis a non-invasive drug treatment, so look for more effective drug treatmentprograms is of great significance to improving the quality of life and prognosis ofthe patients.