Relapsing polychondritis is a rare disease characterized by recurrent episodes of inflammation of the articular, auricular, nasal and laryngotracheal cartilages of variable intensity. Differential diagnosis includes connective tissue diseases, vasculitis and periodic febrile syndromes of childhood. We report a case of 11 year-old boy with knee arthritis, acute conjunctivitis, ear, nose and upper airway cartilage involvement whose disease was controlled with the use of corticosteroids and immunosuppressive drugs. The clinical and laboratory findings were discussed and compared with case reports from literature.
relapsing polychondritis; arthritis; inflammation; cartilage; nose; auricular chondritis
