Nintedanib in patients with systemic sclerosis-associated interstitial lung disease: subgroup analyses by autoantibody status and skin score.

OBJECTIVE We used data from the SENSCIS trial to assess the effects of nintedanib versus placebo in subgroups of patients with SSc-ILD based on characteristics associated with progression of SSc-ILD in previous studies. METHODS Patients with SSc-ILD were randomized to receive nintedanib or placebo, stratified by anti-topoisomerase I antibody (ATA) status. We assessed the rate of decline in forced vital capacity (FVC) (mL/year) over 52 weeks in subgroups by baseline ATA status, modified Rodnan skin score (mRSS) (<18 versus ≥18), and SSc subtype (limited cutaneous SSc [lcSSc] versus diffuse cutaneous SSc [dcSSc]). RESULTS At baseline, of 576 patients treated, 60.8% were ATA-positive, 51.9% had dcSSc, and 77.5% of 574 patients with mRSS data available had mRSS 0.05 for all). CONCLUSION In patients with SSc-ILD, no heterogeneity was detected in the treatment effect of nintedanib in reducing the annual rate of decline in FVC across subgroups based on ATA status, mRSS, and SSc subtype.