Nintedanib reduced worsening of symptoms in patients with progressive pulmonary fibrosis

A recent study suggests that nintedanib reduces worsening of dyspnoea, fatigue and cough and the impacts of interstitial lung disease (ILD) over 52 weeks in patients with progressive pulmonary fibrosis (PPF). The findings of this study were published in the European Respiratory Journal.

The INBUILD trial included 663 patients with fibrosing interstitial lung disease (ILD) of >10% extent on high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT). These subjects met the criteria for ILD progression within the prior 24 months. The patients were randomized in a 1: 1 ratio to receive either nintedanib or placebo. The impact of pulmonary fibrosis in patients with progressive pulmonary fibrosis (PPF) was assessed using the Living with Pulmonary Fibrosis (L-PF) questionnaire.

At the end of the study (52 weeks), it was found that there was significantly smaller worsenings in adjusted mean L-PF questionnaire total scores in the nintedanib group when compared to the placebo (0.5 versus 5.1), symptoms (1.3 versus 5.3), fatigue (0.7 versus 4.0), and dyspnoea (4.3 versus 7.8). A decrease in the L-PF questionnaire cough score was observed in the nintedanib group, while an increase was noted in the placebo group (-1.8 versus 4.3). L-PF questionnaire impacts score also decreased slightly in the nintedanib group and increased in the placebo group (-0.2 versus 4.6).

Based on the above results, it can be concluded that changes in L-PF questionnaire scores may show that nintedanib reduces worsening of dyspnoea, fatigue, and cough and may also impact ILD over 52 weeks in patients with PPF.