[Successful therapy with etanercept in relapsing polychondritis].

Relapsing polychondritis is a rare autoimmune disease associated with inflammation and destruction of cartilage and connective tissue.We report on a patient with a severe form of this disease that had a progressive and complicated course despite administration of a number of disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs.Finally, therapy with the TNF-alpha-antagonist etanercept was initiated, which led to a considerable decrease in disease activity. This case is further evidence for the efficiency of TNF-alpha-antagonists in relapsing polychondritis.