[A case of relapsing polychondritis monitored by repeated measurements of flow-volume curve]

A 57-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with hoarseness, productive cough, and dyspnea. Chest CT revealed a thickening of the tracheal wall, and the flow-volume curve showed a constrictive upper airway flow pattern. Bronchoscopy revealed disappearance of cartilaginous rings and tracheal stenosis. Biopsy of the cricoid cartilage showed findings compatible with relapsing polychondritis and a diagnosis of relapsing polychondritis was made in accordance with Damiani's criteria. The flow-volume curve and symptoms were immediately improved by methylprednisolone pulse therapy, but on reduction of oral prednisorone, recurrence was identified by flow-volume curve and bronchoscopy. Administration of dapson and cyclophosphamide in addition to oral prednisolone after intravenous methylprednisolone and flow-volume curve resulted in improvement. In this case, monitoring of flow-volume curve was useful for the evaluation of airway complication in relapsing polychondritis.