A case of insulin dependent diabetes mellitus associated with relapsing polychondritis, Hashimoto's thyroiditis and pituitary adrenocortical insufficiency in succession.

The case of a 40 year-old woman with insulin dependent diabetes mellitus associated with relapsing polychondritis, Hashimoto's thyroiditis and pituitary adrenocortical insufficiency in succession, considered as polyglandular autoimmune syndrome type III, is described. The results of this study suggest that relapsing polychondritis and pituitary adrenocortical insufficiency might be included in polyglandular autoimmune syndrome. It is very interesting that in the pathogenicity of polyglandular autoimmune syndrome type III, the elevation of OKT4/OKT8 ratio which indicates the hypofunction of suppressor T cell is shown and that she has HLA DR4 which has a significant relationship with insulin dependent diabetes mellitus in Japanese.