Chondritis in systemic lupus erythematosus: clinical and immunopathologic studies

Three patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and relapsing auricular and nasal chondritis are described. Chondritis in SLE is a rare event (less than 1% of our patients), was accompanied by clinical and laboratory evidence of SLE activity and resembled relapsing polychondritis in clinical presentation and pathology. Clinical involvement was limited, cartilage collapse did not occur and response to steroid therapy was prompt. Cartilage inflammation in two ear biopsies was relatively mild, with deposits of IgG and C3 in the chondrofibral junction and adjacent skin vessels. Immune complexes (cryoglobulins) were present in the serum. We postulate an immune complex pathogenesis of this rare manifestation of SLE.