OP0170 DECLINE IN FORCED VITAL CAPACITY (FVC) IN PATIENTS WITH SYSTEMIC SCLEROSIS-ASSOCIATED INTERSTITIAL LUNG DISEASE (SSC-ILD) WITH AND WITHOUT DYSPNOEA: DATA FROM THE SENSCIS TRIAL
Authors: E. Volkmann, M. Kreuter, A. M. Hoffmann-Vold, M. Wijsenbeek, V. Smith, D. Khanna, C. Denton, W. Wuyts, C. Miede, M. Alves, S. Sambevski, Y. Allanore
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (2021)

Background: Some patients with SSc-ILD develop dyspnoea secondary to parenchymal lung disease, while others do not report dyspnoea even when their lung function is impaired. It is unclear whether the presence of dyspnoea is associated with a worse course of SSc-ILD or with response to therapy. Objectives: To investigate the rate of decline in FVC in patients with SSc-ILD in the SENSCIS trial in subgroups by patient-reported dyspnoea at baseline. Methods: The SENSCIS trial enrolled patients with SSc-ILD with first non-Raynaud symptom within ≤7 years before screening, extent of fibrotic ILD ≥10% on HRCT and FVC ≥40% predicted. Patients were randomised to receive nintedanib or placebo until the last patient reached week 52. In post-hoc analyses, we analysed the rate of decline in FVC (mL/year) over 52 weeks in patients with and without dyspnoea at baseline based on the question about dyspnoea in the St. George’s Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ). Patients who reported having shortness of breath “most days a week”, “several days a week” or “a few days a month” (rather than “only with chest infection” or “not at all”) over the last month were considered to have dyspnoea at baseline. A random slope and intercept model was used to assess the rate of decline in FVC (mL/year) and an interaction test was applied to assess potential heterogeneity in the treatment effect of nintedanib between the subgroups. Results: Of 576 patients, 69.8% had dyspnoea at baseline. At baseline, in patients with and without dyspnoea, respectively, mean (SD) extent of fibrotic ILD on HRCT was 37.7 (21.7)% and 31.6 (19.4)%; mean (SD) FVC was 71.0 (16.3) and 76.5 (16.8) % predicted; 50.7% and 44.8% were taking mycophenolate; 53.5% and 41.9% were taking corticosteroids. In the placebo group, the rate of decline in FVC (mL/year) was similar in patients with and without dyspnoea at baseline (Figure). The effect of nintedanib versus placebo on reducing the rate of decline in FVC (mL/year) was numerically more pronounced in patients without dyspnoea (difference: 79.8 [95% CI: 9.8, 149.7]) than with dyspnoea (difference: 25.7 [-19.9, 71.3]), but the exploratory interaction p-value did not indicate heterogeneity in the treatment effect between subgroups (p=0.20). Conclusion: In the SENSCIS trial, patients with SSc-ILD who had dyspnoea at baseline had a numerically greater extent of fibrotic ILD on HRCT and numerically lower FVC % predicted at baseline. The rate of decline in FVC in the placebo group was similar in patients with and without dyspnoea. Nintedanib had a numerically greater treatment effect in patients without dyspnoea. These data suggest that the presence of dyspnoea should not be used as a criterion for starting nintedanib in patients with SSc-ILD. Acknowledgements: The SENSCIS trial was funded by Boehringer Ingelheim. Medical writing support was provided by Fleishman Hillard Fishburn, London, UK. The authors meet criteria for authorship as recommended by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE). Disclosure of Interests: Elizabeth Volkmann Consultant of: Boehringer Ingelheim, Grant/research support from: Corbus and Forbius, Michael Kreuter Speakers bureau: Boehringer Ingelheim, Consultant of: Boehringer Ingelheim, Grant/research support from: Boehringer Ingelheim and Roche, Anna-Maria Hoffmann-Vold Speakers bureau: Actelion, Boehringer Ingelheim, Lilly, Merck Sharp &amp; Dohme and Roche, Consultant of: Actelion, Arxx Therapeutics, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Lilly, Medscape, Merck Sharp &amp; Dohme and Roche, Grant/research support from: Boehringer Ingelheim, Marlies Wijsenbeek Speakers bureau: Boehringer Ingelheim (fees paid to institution) and Hoffmann-La Roche (fees paid to institution), Consultant of: Boehringer Ingelheim (fees paid to institution), Bristol-Myers Squibb (fees paid to institution), Galapagos NV (fees paid to institution), Hoffmann-La Roche (fees paid to institution), NeRRe Therapeutics (fees paid to institution), OncoArendi Therapeutics (fees paid to institution), Respivant Sciences (fees paid to institution) and Savara (fees paid to institution), Grant/research support from: Boehringer Ingelheim (fees paid to institution) and Hoffmann-La Roche (fees paid to institution), Vanessa Smith Speakers bureau: Boehringer Ingelheim and Janssen-Cilag NV, Consultant of: Boehringer Ingelheim, Grant/research support from: Belgian Fund for Scientific Research in Rheumatic diseases (FWRO), Boehringer Ingelheim, Janssen-Cilag NV and Research Foundation - Flanders (FWO), Dinesh Khanna Shareholder of: Eicos Sciences, Inc. (less than 5%), Consultant of: Acceleron Pharma, Actelion, AbbVie, Amgen, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, CSL Behring, Corbus, Gilead Sciences, Galapagos NV, Genentech/Roche, GlaxoSmithKline, Horizon Therapeutics, Merck Sharp &amp; Dohme, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma, Sanofi-Aventis and United Therapeutics, Grant/research support from: Bayer, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Horizon Therapeutics, Immune Tolerance Network, National Institutes of Health and Pfizer, Employee of: Chief Medical Officer- CiviBioPharma/Eicos Sciences, Inc., Christopher Denton Speakers bureau: Boehringer Ingelheim, Corbus, Janssen, and Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals, Consultant of: Acceleron Pharma, Arxx Therapeutics, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Corbus, CSL Behring, Galapagos NV, GlaxoSmithKline, Horizon Therapeutics, Janssen, Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals, Roche, Sanofi and UCB, Grant/research support from: Arxx Therapeutics, GlaxoSmithKline and Servier, Wim Wuyts: None declared, Corinna Miede Employee of: Currently an employee of mainanalytics GmbH, contracted by Boehringer Ingelheim, Margarida Alves Employee of: Currently an employee of Boehringer Ingelheim, Steven Sambevski Employee of: Currently an employee of Boehringer Ingelheim, Yannick Allanore Consultant of: Boehringer Ingelheim, Medsenic, Menarini and Sanofi, Grant/research support from: Alpine Pharmaceuticals