Early Manifestations of Granulomatosis With Polyangiitis: A Case Report.
- 1Family Medicine, Lincoln Memorial University-DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine, Knoxville, USA.
- 2Family Medicine, Ross University School of Medicine, Bridgetown, BRB.
- 3Family Medicine, Covenant Health System, Knoxville, USA.
Abstract
Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), a rare autoimmune disease formerly known as Wegener's granulomatosis, is characterized by systemic necrotizing vasculitis that primarily affects small- to medium-sized vessels. Classically, GPA manifests in the respiratory tract and kidneys; however, its early symptoms can be nonspecific, complicating timely diagnosis. This report describes the case of a 43-year-old Caucasian male presenting with progressive polyarthralgia, intermittent fever, weight loss, and other systemic symptoms over three months. Initial clinical findings, including night sweats, fatigue, and a dry cough, were nonspecific and prompted further diagnostic investigations. His condition progressed with worsening anemia, declining kidney function, and elevated inflammatory markers. Diagnostic evaluation, including serologic testing and renal biopsy, ultimately confirmed the diagnosis of GPA with pauci-immune crescentic glomerulonephritis. This report underscores the importance of comprehensive history-taking, thorough physical examination, and a systemic approach to clinical evaluation. It highlights the critical role of primary care physicians in recognizing subtle, systemic symptoms that may point to an underlying autoimmune disease and coordinating early referrals for appropriate diagnostic testing. Timely recognition of GPA can improve outcomes, particularly when appropriate treatment is initiated promptly.
Related
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- Prostatic Involvement in Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis: A Case Report and Scoping Review
- Isolated necrotizing scleritis revealing silent pulmonary granulomatosis with polyangiitis : A case report of rare diagnostic clue
- Eosinophilic Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis Presenting with an Acute Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis-like CT Pattern: A Case Report
- Severe Cardiomyopathy Following Takotsubo Syndrome in a Patient Suffering from Eosinophilic Granulomatosis With Polyangiitis: A Case Report
BibTeX
@article{castano2026early,
title = {{Early Manifestations of Granulomatosis With Polyangiitis: A Case Report.}},
author = {Christian Castano and Rusul Alani and Elizabeth Dockery},
journal = {Cureus},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.7759/cureus.116734},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42923811},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Early Manifestations of Granulomatosis With Polyangiitis: A Case Report.
AU - Christian Castano
AU - Rusul Alani
AU - Elizabeth Dockery
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/22
JO - Cureus
DO - 10.7759/cureus.116734
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42923811
AB - Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), a rare autoimmune disease formerly known as Wegener's granulomatosis, is characterized by systemic necrotizing vasculitis that primarily affects small- to medium-sized vessels. Classically, GPA manifests in the respiratory tract and kidneys; however, its early symptoms can be nonspecific, complicating timely diagnosis. This report describes the case of a 43-year-old Caucasian male presenting with progressive polyarthralgia, intermittent fever, weight loss, and other systemic symptoms over three months. Initial clinical findings, including night sweats, fatigue, and a dry cough, were nonspecific and prompted further diagnostic investigations. His condition progressed with worsening anemia, declining kidney function, and elevated inflammatory markers. Diagnostic evaluation, including serologic testing and renal biopsy, ultimately confirmed the diagnosis of GPA with pauci-immune crescentic glomerulonephritis. This report underscores the importance of comprehensive history-taking, thorough physical examination, and a systemic approach to clinical evaluation. It highlights the critical role of primary care physicians in recognizing subtle, systemic symptoms that may point to an underlying autoimmune disease and coordinating early referrals for appropriate diagnostic testing. Timely recognition of GPA can improve outcomes, particularly when appropriate treatment is initiated promptly.
SN - 2168-8184
ER -