Relapsing Polychondritis Following Alopecia Areata

January 2010 in “ Case Reports in Medicine ”

John C. Starr, Nidhika Taneja, George W. Brasher

alopecia areata alopecia universalis relapsing polychondritis corticosteroids chondroitin sulfate

Studysummary This case report and literature review explore a potential immunological link between alopecia areata and relapsing polychondritis, suggesting that the latter might be a systemic manifestation of the former.

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This document reported a third case of relapsing polychondritis following long-standing alopecia areata, suggesting a potential immunological link between the two conditions. The case involved a 71-year-old man with a 28-year history of alopecia universalis who developed relapsing polychondritis after a poison ivy incident. Treatment with corticosteroids led to the regrowth of his beard, although no other body hair regrew. The study proposed that the immune response targeting chondroitin sulfate in hair follicles might extend to cartilage, contributing to relapsing polychondritis. The findings highlighted the complex immune interactions in alopecia areata and its potential systemic manifestations.

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