Correspondence

Saddle Nose

N Engl J Med 1995; 333:525-526August 24, 1995

Article

To the Editor:

Three photographs of patients with relapsing polychondritis were recently published in the Journal's Images in Clinical Medicine series (March 2 issue),1 including a photograph of a patient with saddle nose. As shown in Figure 1Figure 1Two Patients, Both with Saddle Nose, but Each with a Different Disease., saddle nose can also be part of the clinical spectrum of Wegener's granulomatosis. In fact, the two diseases may have similar features of nasal and subglottic cartilaginous inflammation and collapse.2 When other clinical characteristics are not helpful in the differential diagnosis, it may be useful to search for serum antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies, which are quite specific markers for Wegener's granulomatosis.3

Guido Valesini, M.D.
Roberta Priori, M.D.
Fabrizio Conti, M.D.
Università “La Sapienza”, 00161 Rome, Italy

3 References

1. 1

   Piette J-C, Frances C. Relapsing polychondritis. N Engl J Med 1995;332:580-580
   Full Text | Web of Science | Medline

2. 2

   Michet CJ. Vasculitis and relapsing polychondritis. Rheum Dis Clin North Am 1990;16:441-444
   Web of Science | Medline

3. 3

   Gross WL, Schmitt WH, Csernok E. ANCA and associated diseases: immunodiagnostic and pathogenetic aspects. Clin Exp Immunol 1993;91:1-12
   CrossRef | Web of Science | Medline

Citing Articles (1)

Citing Articles

1. 1

   YOSHIMASA IMANISHI, YOSHIMI MITOGAWA, MIYOKO TAKIZAWA, SHOUKO KONNO, HIROKO SAMUTA, AYAKO OHSAWA, ATSUYA KAWAGUCHI, MITSUHIRO FUJIKAWA, HIROYUKI SAKAIDA, TOSHIHITO SHINAGAWA, HAJIME YAMASHITA. (1999) Relapsing Polychondritis Diagnosed by Tc-99m MDP Bone Scintigraphy. Clinical Nuclear Medicine 24:7, 511-513
   CrossRef