Retropharyngeal edema: A rare manifestation of eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis

Osamu Matsuno; Seijiro Minamoto

doi:10.1016/j.rmcr.2021.101539

Retropharyngeal edema: A rare manifestation of eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis

Respir Med Case Rep. 2021 Oct 21:34:101539. doi: 10.1016/j.rmcr.2021.101539. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Osamu Matsuno¹, Seijiro Minamoto¹

Affiliation

¹ Department of Medicine for Allergic Disease, Osaka Habikino Medical Center, 3-7-1 Habikino, Habikino City, Osaka, 583-8588, Japan.

Abstract

Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) is characterized by excessive eosinophil accumulation in the peripheral blood and affected tissues with development of granulomatous vasculitic organ damage. Although upper airway and neck involvement is seen in patients with EGPA, retropharyngeal inflammation has never been reported. We report a case of retropharyngeal edema in a 70-year-old woman with EGPA. Her symptoms improved and the retropharyngeal edema disappeared on computed tomography following treatment. EGPA should be considered as a differential diagnosis in patients with asthma presenting with neck swelling and dysphagia.

Keywords: ANCA, anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies; CT, computed tomography; Case report; Dysphagia; EGPA, eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis; Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis; HES, Hypereosinophilic syndrome; Ig, immunoglobulin; IgG4-RD, immunoglobulin G4-related disease; MPO-ANCA, anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies against myeloperoxidase; Neck swelling; Retropharyngeal edema.

Publication types

Case Reports