Polyangiitis overlap syndrome: a novel presentation of microscopic polyangiitis and eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis

Abstract

Polyangiitis overlap syndrome (POS) is a diagnostic term coined by Leavitt and Fauci that characterises patients with overlapping features of more than one vasculitis. Prior case studies of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA)-associated POS have only been published in patients with eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) and granulomatosis with polyangiitis alongside proteinase-3/cytoplasmic (C)-ANCA positivity. We present a case of a 60-year-old woman with dyspnoea, hemoptysis, positive perinuclear-ANCA and renal biopsy demonstrating evidence of microscopic polyangiitis. In addition, our patient also had asthma, mononeuritis multiplex, eosinophilia and migratory pulmonary infiltrates, thus fulfilling the criteria for EGPA. This novel case report suggests that POS is not limited to C-ANCA positivity and has variable presentations.