Mortality, Morbidity, and Complications
of Relapsing Polychondritis

The 5-year survival rate associated with Relapsing Polychondritis has been reported to be 66%-74% (45% if Relapsing Polychondritis occurs with systemic vasculitis), with a 10-year survival rate of 55%.  The most frequent causes of death associated with Relapsing Polychondritis include infection secondary to corticosteroid treatment or respiratory compromise (10%-50% of deaths result from airway complications), systemic vasculitis, and malignancy unrelated to Relapsing Polychondritis.

Although the life expectancy in all patients with Relapsing Polychondritis is decreased compared with age- and sex-matched healthy individuals, patients with renal involvement have a significantly lower age-adjusted life expectancy.  Of those with renal disease, uremia is the third most frequent cause of death.

Complications of Relapsing Polychondritis such as saddle-nose deformity, systemic vasculitis, laryngotracheobronchial stricture, arthritis, and anemia in patients younger than 51 years portend a poorer prognosis than in age-matched patients with Relapsing Polychondritis without complications.  Among patients older than 51 years, only anemia is associated with a poorer prognosis.  Renal involvement is a poor prognostic factor at all ages.

Other complications of Relapsing Polychondritis include vertigo, tinnitus, voice hoarseness, joint deformity, outer ear deformity, epiglottitis, scleritis, conjunctivitis, iritis, need for permanent tracheotomy (severe cases), severe pulmonary infection, blindness, frail chest wall, respiratory failure, aortic regurgitation, mitral regurgitation, aortic dissection, and glomerulonephritis-associated renal failure.

This information was obtained from emedicine.medscape.com.