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The following is a summary of “Incidence of ANCA associated vasculitis and polyarteritis nodosa in Norfolk, UK, from 2011-2020,” published in the January 2025 issue of Rheumatology by Fordham et al. 

Researchers conducted a retrospective study to report the annual and age-specific incidence of ANCA associated vasculitis and polyarteritis nodosa in Norfolk, UK. 

They included individuals diagnosed with ANCA-associated vasculitis or polyarteritis nodosa between 1st Jan 2011 and 31st Dec 2020, residing in NR1-NR30. Patients were classified using the European Medicines Agency algorithm, with population data from the Office of National Statistics, UK. 

The results showed 164 patients were diagnosed with ANCA associated vasculitis or polyarteritis nodosa over 4.7 million person-years. The annual incidence of ANCA associated vasculitis was 34.3 (29.2, 40)/million person-years. Granulomatosis with polyangiitis, microscopic polyangiitis, and eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis had incidences of 18.9 (15.2, 23.3), 12.8 (9.7, 16.4), and 2.6 (1.3, 4.5)/million person-years, respectively. Polyarteritis nodosa had an incidence of 0.6 (0.1, 1.9)/million person-years. The age-specific incidence of granulomatosis with polyangiitis peaked in the 8th decade (53.2, 95% CI 36.2, 75.6) and microscopic polyangiitis in the 9th decade (48.4, 95% CI 27.1, 79.8). 

Investigators found that the incidence of ANCA associated vasculitis, particularly granulomatosis with polyangiitis and microscopic polyangiitis, was slowly rising over time. Incidence rates peaked among the elderly, and a potential 4-year incidence cycle required confirmation in a longer study. 

Source: academic.oup.com/rheumatology/advance-article-abstract/doi/10.1093/rheumatology/keaf052/7990912