Imaging Features of Systemic Sclerosis-Associated Interstitial Lung Disease

Retrospective comparative study of the efficacy of JAK inhibitor (tofacitinib) in the treatment of systemic sclerosis-associated interstitial lung disease

The oral Janus kinases inhibitor (JAKi) has improved the management of skin manifestations in systemic sclerosis (SSc), and our study aimed to explore the efficacy of non-selective JAKi tofacitinib in ameliorating interstitial lung disease (ILD) in the patients with SSc. The hospitalization data of the SSc-ILD patients from April 2019 to April 2021 were collected, and the changes of pulmonary function and the radiological findings in pulmonary high-resolution CT (HRCT) from the 9 patients who received tofacitinib for at least 6 months and a matched group of 35 SSc-ILD patients treated with conventional immunosuppressants or glucocorticoids, were compared and analyzed. There were no significant differences in demographic data and clinical characteristics between the tofacitinib-treated group (tofa-group) and the matched group. However, in the tofa-group, the changes in serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) concentration and serum interleukin-6 levels were significantly lower than those in the matched group. Moreover, the tofa-group showed amelioration in decreased diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (DLCO) (62.05 ± 9.47 vs. 66.61 ± 12.39, p = 0.046), reductions in ground-glass attenuation involvement (1.00 ± 0.86 vs. 0.33 ± 0.50, p = 0.024) and irregular pleural thickening (1.33 ± 0.50 vs. 0.67 ± 0.51, p = 0.004) in pulmonary HRCTs, alleviated modified Rodnan skin score (mRSS) of skin sclerosis (9.22 ± 3.81 vs. 7.11 ± 3.92, p = 0.048), and reduced HRCT scores of pulmonary fibrosis (15.00 ± 3.87 vs. 12.66 ± 4.92, p = 0.009). Logistic regression analysis showed that the involvement of ground-glass attenuation (OR 11.43) and the add-on therapy of tofacitinib (OR 9.98) were the relevant factors in the amelioration of HRCT. Our results indicate that the use of JAKi (tofacitinib) may be relevant to significant improvement of the sclerosis and early radiological abnormalities in SSc-ILD patients. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings and to explore its efficacy more precisely. Key Points • The currently available therapies for SSc-ILD have limited therapeutic benefits. • The add-on therapy of the oral JAK inhibitor is available in the real world. • The tofacitinib was promising in the improvement of the sclerosis and early radiological abnormalities in SSc-ILD patients.

Recent innovations in the screening and diagnosis of systemic sclerosis-associated interstitial lung disease

INTRODUCTION

Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is the leading cause of mortality in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). Risk of developing progressive ILD is highest among patients with diffuse cutaneous disease, positive anti-topoisomerase I antibody, and elevated acute phase reactants. With the FDA approval of two medications and a pipeline of novel therapeutics in trials, early recognition and intervention is critical. High-resolution computed tomography of the chest is the current gold standard test for diagnosis of ILD. Yet, it is not offered as a screening tool to all patients due to which ILD can be missed in up to a third of patients. There is a need to develop and validate more innovative screening modalities.

AREAS COVERED

In this review, we provide an overview of screening and diagnosis of SSc-ILD, highlighting the recent innovations particularly the role of soluble serologic, radiomic (quantitative lung imaging, lung ultrasound), and breathomic (exhaled breath analysis) biomarkers in the early detection of SSc-ILD.

EXPERT OPINION

There is remarkable progress in the development of new radiomics and serum biomarkers in diagnosing SSc-ILD. There is an urgent need for conceptualizing and testing composite ILD screening strategies that incorporate these biomarkers.

Diagnosis and monitoring of systemic sclerosis-associated interstitial lung disease using high-resolution computed tomography

Patients with systemic sclerosis are at high risk of developing systemic sclerosis-associated interstitial lung disease. Symptoms and outcomes of systemic sclerosis-associated interstitial lung disease range from subclinical lung involvement to respiratory failure and death. Early and accurate diagnosis of systemic sclerosis-associated interstitial lung disease is therefore important to enable appropriate intervention. The most sensitive and specific way to diagnose systemic sclerosis-associated interstitial lung disease is by high-resolution computed tomography, and experts recommend that high-resolution computed tomography should be performed in all patients with systemic sclerosis at the time of initial diagnosis. In addition to being an important screening and diagnostic tool, high-resolution computed tomography can be used to evaluate disease extent in systemic sclerosis-associated interstitial lung disease and may be helpful in assessing prognosis in some patients. Currently, there is no consensus with regards to frequency and scanning intervals in patients at risk of interstitial lung disease development and/or progression. However, expert guidance does suggest that frequency of screening using high-resolution computed tomography should be guided by risk of developing interstitial lung disease. Most experienced clinicians would not repeat high-resolution computed tomography more than once a year or every other year for the first few years unless symptoms arose. Several computed tomography techniques have been developed in recent years that are suitable for regular monitoring, including low-radiation protocols, which, together with other technologies, such as lung ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging, may further assist in the evaluation and monitoring of patients with systemic sclerosis-associated interstitial lung disease. A video abstract to accompany this article is available at: https://www.globalmedcomms.com/respiratory/Khanna/HRCTinSScILD.

Predicting the Progression of Very Early Systemic Sclerosis: Current Insights

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a complex autoimmune connective tissue disease with distinct pathological hallmarks (ie, inflammation, vasculopathy, fibrosis) that may predominate at different stages in the disease course with varying severity. Initial efforts to classify patients with SSc identified a subset of patients with very early SSc. These patients possessed signs of SSc (eg, Raynaud phenomenon, SSc specific autoantibodies and/or nailfold capillary abnormalities) without fulfilling complete SSc classification criteria. Recognizing the inherent value in early diagnosis and intervention in SSc, researchers have endeavored to identify risk factors for progression from very early SSc to definite SSc. The present review summarizes the clinical phenotype of patients with very early and early SSc. Through a scoping review of recent literature, this review also describes risk factors for progression to definite SSc with a focus on the specific clinical features that arise early in the SSc disease course (eg, diffuse cutaneous sclerosis, interstitial lung disease, esophageal dysfunction, renal crisis, cardiac involvement). In addition to clinical risk factors, this review provides evidence for how biological data (ie, serological, genomic, proteomic profiles, skin bioengineering methods) can be integrated into risk assessment models in the future. Furthering our understanding of biological features of very early SSc will undoubtedly provide novel insights into SSc pathogenesis and may illuminate new therapeutic targets to prevent progression of SSc.

[Value of CT and transthoracic lung ultrasound in patients with systemic sclerosis : Joint statement of the ÖRG/ÖGP/ÖGR/ÖGUM]

Lung involvement is the most frequent cause of death in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). As lung involvement is frequently asymptomatic, the current recommendation is to carry out thoracic computed tomography (CT) in all patients newly diagnosed with SSc. There is currently disagreement on how patients with SSc for whom no lung involvement was found at the time of diagnosis, should be followed up. Based on a consensus of Austrian rheumatologists, pneumologists and radiologists it is recommended that for asymptomatic patients with a negative CT at the time of initial diagnosis, a transthoracic ultrasound examination should be carried out annually and a lung function examination every 6-12 months. In the presence of a positive lung ultrasound finding a supplementary CT for further clarification is recommended. Based on the data situation, annual CT follow-up controls are recommended for patients with a high risk as defined by appropriate risk factors.

Systemic sclerosis-associated interstitial lung disease in a Vietnamese adult female: Case report and literature review

Systemic sclerosis-associated interstitial lung disease (SSc-ILD) is a rare disease in the Asian population and might be overlooked in clinical practice. Early diagnosis is crucial to initiate treatment and to prevent disease progression. Chest high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) is the modality of choice for diagnosing and assessing this disorder. SSc-ILD should be included in the list of differential diagnoses of ILD. Familiarity with HRCT findings and thorough clinical examination are crucial for diagnosis and treatment.