Elucidation of predictors of disease progression in patients with relapsing polychondritis at the onset: potential impact on patient monitoring.

Allocation of patients to RO and MO subgroups was suggested to associate with poorer prognosis of RP than AO subgroups, especially AO subgroups without respiratory involvement throughout. All RP patients deserve careful monitoring but special attention should be paid to MO patients because of their diverse and accelerated disease progression.