Table 2.
Demographic and clinical characteristics of EGPA patients diagnosed before and after the 2012 year.
| Variable | ≤2012 (n = 70) | >2012 (n = 41) | p-Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Demographic characteristics | |||
|
| |||
| Age at diagnosis, years | 41.3 (33.1–52.4) | 49.17 (40.3–58.4) | <0.01 ∗ |
| Female gender, number (%) | 51 (72.86) | 26 (63.41) | 0.30 |
| Smoking in the past, number (%) | 4 (5.71) | 8 (19.51) | 0.97 |
|
| |||
| Clinical manifestations | |||
|
| |||
| Constitutional symptoms | 65 (92.86) | 34 (82.93) | 0.23 |
| Musculoskeletal | 31 (44.29) | 24 (58.54) | 0.11 |
| Cutaneous | 37 (52.86) | 21 (51.22) | 0.96 |
| Ocular | 3 (4.29) | 4 (9.76) | 0.25 |
| ENT | 64 (91.43) | 28 (68.29) | <0.01 ∗ |
| Respiratory | 69 (98.57) | 38 (92.68) | 0.62 |
| Cardiovascular | 35 (50.00) | 12 (29.27) | 0.04∗ |
| Gastrointestinal | 20 (28.57) | 12 (29.27) | 0.89 |
| Renal | 20 (28.57) | 10 (24.39) | 0.64 |
| Central nervous system | 6 (8.57) | 5 (12.20) | 0.52 |
| Neurological | 36 (51.43) | 17 (41.46) | 0.36 |
| Flare-ups, number | 3 (1–3) | 0 (0–1) | <0.01 ∗ |
| Flare-ups, number/time of observation, years | 0.28 (0.18–0.35) | 0.00 (0.00–0.33) | 0.03∗ |
| Patients with flare-ups requiring hospital admission, number | 15 (21.43) | 12 (29.27) | 0.26 |
|
| |||
| Remission induction therapy | |||
|
| |||
| Oral glucocorticosteroids | 69 (98.57) | 34 (82.93)α | <0.01 ∗ |
| Glucocorticosteroid pulses | 56 (80.00) | 18 (43.90) | <0.01 ∗ |
| Cyclophosphamide | 31 (44.29) | 18 (43.90) | 0.75 |
| Azathioprine | 11 (15.71) | 3 (7.32) | 0.25 |
| Methotrexate | 8 (11.43) | 13 (31.71) | <0.01 ∗ |
| Mycophenolate mofetil | 0 (0.00) | 5 (12.20) | <0.01 ∗ |
| The cumulative time of glucocorticosteroid treatment, years | 7.00 (5.00–10.00) | 2.00 (1.00–4.00) | <0.01 ∗ |
| The cumulative dose of intravenous glucocorticosteroids (g) | 4.20 (0.00–8.60) | 1.45 (0.00–6.00) | 0.37 |
|
| |||
| Maintenance therapy | |||
|
| |||
| Oral glucocorticosteroids | 37 (52.86) | 32 (78.05) | 0.08 |
| Azathioprine | 19 (27.14) | 15 (36.59) | 0.36 |
| Methotrexate | 9 (12.86) | 19 (46.34) | <0.01 ∗ |
| Mycophenolate mofetil | 5 (7.14) | 11 (26.83) | 0.09 |
|
| |||
| Laboratory parameters | |||
|
| |||
| Blood eosinophilia (/μl)β | 4,946 (2,400–8,253) | 3,200 (358–5,800) | <0.01 ∗ |
| Max. CRP at diagnosis (mg/l) | 23.9 (10.0–58.0) | 22.7 (10.0–60.0) | 0.91 |
| ANCA-positive, n (%) | 23 (32.86) | 22 (53.66) | 0.11 |
Categorical variables are presented as numbers (percentages), continuous variables as median, and 0.25–0.75 interquartile range. αAmong seven cases that did not receive oral GCs in the remission induction phase, all but one were administered intravenous GCs and the remaining one cyclophosphamide; in the maintenance therapy, all received oral GCs. βData available in 55 (78.57.%) and 26 (63.41%) EGPA patients in the first and second subgroups, respectively. Statistically significant differences are highlighted with an asterisk. Abbreviations: ANCA, anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies; CRP, C-reactive protein; EGPA, eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis; and ENT, ear/nose/throat.