ANCA-negative eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis diagnosed via external auditory canal biopsy: A case report

Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) is an uncommon systemic vasculitis characterized by asthma, eosinophilia, and multisystem involvement. The diagnosis of ANCA-negative EGPA may be challenging because serological findings are often non-specific, making histopathological confirmation important....

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Audiologists and ENT-adjacent clinicians should be aware that the external auditory canal can be a biopsy site for diagnosing systemic vasculitis like ANCA-negative EGPA, potentially making ear canal findings a diagnostic clue worth escalating to a physician.

This case highlights the external auditory canal as an accessible and clinically informative biopsy site for rare systemic vasculitides, which may occasionally present first to audiology or ENT practitioners.

1. 01ANCA-negative EGPA is rare and diagnostically challenging due to absent typical blood markers.
2. 02External auditory canal biopsy yielded the definitive diagnosis in this case.
3. 03Ear canal involvement can be a presenting feature of systemic vasculitis.
4. 04Audiologists encountering unexplained ear canal lesions should consider referral for biopsy.
5. 05Case reports provide low-level evidence; findings are not generalizable without further study.

PMID

42964830

DOI

10.1016/j.rmcr.2026.102528.

Journal

Respiratory Medicine Case Reports

Publication type

case_report

Evidence level

4

Sample size

1

Population

Single patient with ANCA-negative eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis presenting with external auditory canal involvement

Intervention

External auditory canal biopsy for diagnosis of systemic vasculitis