Stridor due to cricoarytenoid arthritis in pauciarticular onset juvenile rheumatoid arthritis

A 2-year-old girl developed severe inspiratory and expiratory stridor 2 months after onset of pauciarticular juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA). Direct laryngoscopy demonstrated that both vocal cords were immobile and approximated to each other in the midline secondary to arthritis of the cricoarytenoid joints. High dose corticosteroid therapy resulted in clinical and laryngoscopic improvement and tracheostomy was avoided. Cricoarytenoid arthritis can be a life threatening complication in JRA. Early institution of corticosteroids appears to be the treatment of choice.