[Calcification of auricular cartilages in adrenal insufficiency]

Calcification of the auricular cartilages is a very rare finding observed in metabolic disorders like Addison's disease, adrenal insufficiency or diabetes. Its aetiology and physiopathological mechanisms remain unclear. It may be caused by exposure to cold or trauma in the cartilage but in a significant number of cases, ossification occurs without the identification of the precipitating cause or event. We present the clinical and pathologic findings of a patient suffering from Addison's disease who developed auricular bilateral calcification. The literature is reviewed and the physiopathological hypotheses discussed.