Chest
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A 66-year-old male nonsmoker from Arizona was referred to our practice for evaluation of chronic cough. He had a history of biopsy-proven relapsing polychondritis manifesting as right auricular and nasal pain and swelling 9 months prior to presentation. The onset of his cough coincided with the diagnosis of relapsing polychondritis, and he was prescribed prednisone 90 mg/d, which promptly relieved his rheumatologic and respiratory symptoms. ⋯ A second chest radiograph done 6 months before presentation, while the patient was receiving prednisone 20 mg/d, was normal as well. In anticipation of our evaluation, he stopped all glucocorticoids for 7 days. He was not receiving any other medications, and he had no history of an atopic diathesis.