Searchable abstracts of presentations at key conferences in endocrinology
Endocrine Abstracts (2015) 37 EP1283 | DOI: 10.1530/endoabs.37.EP1283

1University of Medicine and Pharmacy Cluj-Napoca, Cluj-Napoca, Cluj, Romania; 2Endocrinology Department, Cluj-Napoca, Cluj, Romania.


Introduction: Bilateral calcification of auricular cartilage is an uncommonly reported condition. The aetiology of this phenomenon is still unclear. Petrified ears have seldom been described in association with endocrinopathies such as adrenal insufficiency, hypothyroidism, diabetes mellitus, and acromegaly.

Case report: We present the case of a 42 year-old male patient, diagnosed with Addison’s disease at the age of 14, currently undergoing treatment with prednisone 10 mg/day, with low compliance and therefore repeated episodes of adrenal crisis throughout the years. At the age of 42 he was diagnosed with hypothyroidism due to Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and treatment with levothyroxine 25 μg/day was initiated. Physical examination revealed hyperpigmentation of the skin, lipoma of the posterior chest wall, markedly rigid auricular cartilages that were difficult to fold manually, with no evidence of hearing impairment. CT scan confirmed bilateral calcification of the auricular cartilages.

Conclusions: A long history of poorly controlled adrenal insufficiency (in this case more than 25 years) and the presence of primary hypothyroidism seem to be precipitating factors for auricular calcification.

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