Differential diagnosis of Relapsing Polychondritis
Auricular chondritis due to RPC must be separated from cellulitis ( Pseudomonas, Staphylococcus ), infectious perichondritis, frostbite, recurrent trauma (wrestlers), and cocaine-induced vasculitis. Like RPC, granulomatosis with polyangiitis (Wegener’s), syphilis, cocaine use, and lethal midline granuloma (natural killer/T cell lymphoma) can also cause saddle-nose deformities. In children, rare genetic defects can cause nasal chondritis and saddle-nose deformity and/or myxoid degeneration of thyroid and cricoid cartilage with laryngeal stenosis.
Syphilitic aortitis, Marfan’s syndrome, and several rheumatic conditions associated with ascending thoracic aortitis can cause dilatation of the aortic root.
Cogan’s syndrome can cause keratitis and vestibuloauditory dysfunction.
