Effect of Nintedanib on Lung Function in Patients With Systemic Sclerosis−Associated Interstitial Lung Disease: Further Analyses of a Randomized, Double‐Blind, Placebo‐Controlled Trial

OBJECTIVE: In the SENSCIS trial in subjects with systemic sclerosis–associated interstitial lung disease (SSc‐ILD), nintedanib reduced the rate of decline in forced vital capacity (FVC) over 52 weeks by 44% versus placebo. This study was undertaken to investigate the effects of nintedanib on categorical changes in FVC and other measures of ILD progression. METHODS: In post hoc analyses, we assessed the proportions of subjects with categorical changes in FVC % predicted at week 52 and the time to absolute decline in FVC of ≥5% predicted or death and absolute decline in FVC of ≥10% predicted or death. RESULTS: A total of 288 subjects received nintedanib and 288 subjects received placebo. At week 52, in subjects treated with nintedanib and placebo, respectively, 55.7% and 66.3% had any decline in FVC % predicted, 13.6% and 20.1% had a decline in FVC of >5% to ≤10% predicted, and 3.5% and 5.2% had a decline in FVC of >10% to ≤15% predicted; 34.5% and 43.8% had a decrease in FVC of ≥3.3% predicted (proposed minimal clinically important difference [MCID] for worsening of FVC), while 23.0% and 14.9% had an increase in FVC of ≥3.0% predicted (proposed MCID for improvement in FVC). Over 52 weeks, the hazard ratio (HR) for an absolute decline in FVC of ≥5% predicted or death with nintedanib versus placebo was 0.83 (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 0.66−1.06) (P = 0.14), and the HR for an absolute decline in FVC of ≥10% predicted was 0.64 (95% CI 0.43−0.95) (P = 0.029). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that nintedanib has a clinically relevant benefit on the progression of SSc‐ILD.