Table 1.
Clinical Characteristics of Three Subgroups of Patients with Relapsing Polychondritis
| All Patients n=73 | Type 1 RP n=10 | Type 2 RP n=21 | Type 3 RP n=42 | P value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| |||||
| Variables Included in Latent Class Analysis | |||||
|
| |||||
| Saddle nose n (%) | 10 (13) | 9 (90) | 0 | 1 (2) | <0.001 |
| Subglottic stenosis n (%) | 11 (15) | 8 (80) | 0 | 3 (7) | <0.001 |
| Tracheomalacia n (%) | 31 (42) | 10 (100) | 21 (100) | 0 | <0.001 |
| Bronchomalacia n (%) | 16 (22) | 5 (50) | 11 (52) | 0 | <0.001 |
| Ear chondritis n (%) | 42 (57) | 10 (100) | 9 (43) | 23 (55) | 0.001 |
| Tenosynovitis/Synovitis n (%) | 42 (57) | 6 (60) | 11 (52) | 25 (60) | 0.85 |
| Eye inflammatory disease n(%) | 20 (27) | 4(40%) | 4 (19) | 11(26) | 0.47 |
| Sensorineural hearing loss n(%) | 19 (26) | 4 (40%) | 7 (33) | 8 (19) | 0.26 |
|
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| Demographic Characteristics | |||||
|
| |||||
| Race, White n (%) | 63 (86) | 7 (70%) | 18 (86%) | 38 (90) | 0.29 |
| Sex, Female n (%) | 62 (84) | 9 (90%) | 17 (81%) | 36 (86%) | 0.78 |
| Age, symptom onset (years, IQR) | 36 (27–43) | 37 (22–40) | 37 (31–46) | 35 (26–43) | 0.36 |
| Age at diagnosis (years, IQR) | 43 (33–52) | 39 (23–49) | 48 (43–56) | 42 (31–50) | 0.08 |
| Diagnostic Delay (years, IQR) | 5 (2–10) | 1 (0.6–5) | 10 (3.5–20) | 4.5 (2–8.5) | 0.007 |
|
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| Clinical Symptoms | |||||
|
| |||||
| Fever n (%) | 18 (24) | 2 (20) | 7 (33) | 9 (21) | 0.55 |
| Weight loss n (%) | 8 (11) | 4 (40) | 0(0) | 4 (9) | 0.02 |
| Oral ulcers n (%) | 22 (30) | 2 (20) | 10 (48) | 10 (24) | 0.12 |
| Genital ulcers n (%) | 12 (16) | 0 (0) | 7 (33) | 5 (12) | 0.02 |
| Audiovestibular n (%) | 57 (78) | 7 (70) | 16 (76) | 34 (80) | 0.73 |
| Sinonasal disease n (%) | 68 (94) | 9 (90) | 19 (95) | 40 (95) | 0.82 |
| Costochondritis n (%) | 63 (86) | 9 (90) | 17 (80) | 37 (88) | 0.70 |
| Dry cough n (%) | 62 (85) | 10 (100) | 20 (95) | 32(76) | 0.09 |
| Skin involvement n (%) | 19 (26) | 0 (0) | 0(0) | 6 (14) | 0.03 |
| Sicca symptoms n (%) | 30 (41) | 5 (50) | 8 (28) | 17 (40) | 0.82 |
| Wheezing n (%) | 30 (41) | 5 (50) | 13 (62) | 12 (28) | 0.03 |
| Stridor n (%) | 10 (13) | 7 (70) | 0 () | 3 (7) | <0.0001 |
|
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| Other Diagnosis prior to RP Diagnosis | |||||
|
| |||||
| Asthma n (%) | 28 (38) | 5 (50) | 13 (62) | 12 (28) | 0.009 |
| Ear infections n (%) | 9 (12) | 2 (20) | 1 (5) | 6 (15) | 0.36 |
| Sinusitis n (%) | 18 (24) | 4 (40) | 4 (19) | 10 (24) | 0.46 |
N = number; IQR = interquartile range