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Mycophenolate led to improvements in patients with systemic sclerosis-related interstitial lung disease
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Compared with placebo, treatment with mycophenolate was linked with improvements in physiologic measures and dyspnea in patients with systemic sclerosis-related interstitial lung disease, according to recently published data.
Elizabeth R. Volkmann, MD, in the Department of Medicine at the University of California David Geffen School of Medicine, and colleagues included 61 patients enrolled in the placebo group of Scleroderma Lung Study (SLS) I — which randomized patients to oral cyclophosphamide or placebo for 1 year — and 61 patients enrolled in the mycophenolate (MMF) group of SLS II, which randomized patients to 2 years of MMF or 1 year of oral cyclophosphamide followed by 1 year of placebo. Forced vital capacity percentage-predicted (FVC%-predicted) was the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes included diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide-predicted (DLCO%-predicted) and skin score, as well as dyspnea.
Compared with SLS I patients, SLS II patients were older (52.6 years vs. 48.1 years). In addition, SLS II patients had a higher predicted DLCO% (54% vs. 46.2%). After adjusting for baseline disease severity, researchers found MMF was linked with improved FVC%-predicted, DLCO%-predicted, skin score and dyspnea during a 2-year period. – by Will Offit
Disclosures: Volkmann reports no relevant financial disclosures. Please see the full study for a list of all other relevant financial disclosures.
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