Abstract: Objective: Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) is an ANCA-associated vasculitis. Epidemiological data remain limited and vary considerably across regions and time periods, partly due to differences in study designs and diagnostic criteria. This study aimed to describe the incidence and prevalence of EGPA in a defined population from northern Spain, according to newly established EGPA classification criteria.
Methods: We conducted an observational study including EGPA cases diagnosed between 2000 and 2024 at a single university hospital. Clinical data were extracted from medical records. EGPA cases were identified using 2022 ACR/EULAR classification criteria. Incidence and prevalence rates calculated using official population data, expressed per 1,000,000 inhabitants per year.
Results: Twenty-five patients were included (56% male; mean age at diagnosis: 66 ± 14 years). Pulmonary involvement was the most frequent (88%), followed by ear, nose, and throat (ENT) symptoms (68%). ANCA was positive in 48% of cases, all MPO-ANCA. Mean annual incidence was 2.2 (95% CI: 0.8-3.6) per 106 inhabitants, increasing across three periods: 0.5 (2000-2008), 1.7 (2009-2016), and 5.4 (2017-2024). Prevalence in 2024 reached 59.9 per 106. This rise coincided with the introduction of a multidisciplinary consultation involving rheumatologists and pulmonologists (2015) and the establishment of a dedicated vasculitis clinic (2020), likely improving diagnostic accuracy and centralizing cases otherwise undetected.
Conclusion: EGPA incidence and prevalence have risen in our region. This may reflect both a true increase in disease burden and the impact of coordinated diagnostic strategies. Similar models could enhance disease recognition in other settings.
