Successful treatment of relapsing polychondritis with infliximab

C. Richez, C. Dumoulin, X. Coutouly¹, T. Schaeverbeke

Service de Rhumatologie, Groupe Hospitalier Pellegrin, CHU de Bordeaux, Bordeaux; ¹Département de Radiologie, Hôpital Trousseau, CHU de Tours, Tours, France.

ABSTRACT
Relapsing polychondritis (RP) is a rare and potentially fatal autoimmune disease in which an inappropriate immune response destroys the cartilage of the ears, larynx and nose. Many therapeutic approaches have been reported. We describe the results obtained with infliximab in a patient with RP unresponsive to conventional therapy. This therapy could be a new weapon to treat refractory RP.

Key words
Relapsing polychondritis, deafness, Cogan's syndrome, infliximab.

Please address correspondence and reprint requests to: Christophe Richez, Service de Rhumatologie, Hôpital Pellegrin, 6 Place Amélie Raba Léon, 33076 Bordeaux Cedex, France. 
E-mail: christophe.richez@club-internet.fr

Clin Exp Rheumatol 2004; 22: 629-631.
© Copyright Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology 2004.