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Objectives: Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are important for clinical practice and research. Given the high unmet need, our aim was to develop a comprehensive PROM for systemic sclerosis (SSc), jointly with patient experts., Methods: This European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR)-endorsed project involved 11 European SSc centres. Relevant health dimensions were chosen and prioritised by patients. The resulting Systemic Sclerosis Impact of Disease (ScleroID) questionnaire was subsequently weighted and validated by Outcome Measures in Rheumatology criteria in an observational cohort study, cross-sectionally and longitudinally. As comparators, SSc-Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ), EuroQol Five Dimensional (EQ-5D), Short Form-36 (SF-36) were included., Results: Initially, 17 health dimensions were selected and prioritised. The top 10 health dimensions were selected for the ScleroID questionnaire. Importantly, Raynaud's phenomenon, impaired hand function, pain and fatigue had the highest patient-reported disease impact. The validation cohort study included 472 patients with a baseline visit, from which 109 had a test-retest reliability visit and 113 had a follow-up visit (85% female, 38% diffuse SSc, mean age 58 years, mean disease duration 9 years). The total ScleroID score showed strong Pearson correlation coefficients with comparators (SSc-HAQ, 0.73; Patient's global assessment, Visual Analogue Scale 0.77; HAQ-Disability Index, 0.62; SF-36 physical score, -0.62; each p<0.001). The internal consistency was strong: Cronbach's alpha was 0.87, similar to SSc-HAQ (0.88) and higher than EQ-5D (0.77). The ScleroID had excellent reliability and good sensitivity to change, superior to all comparators (intraclass correlation coefficient 0.84; standardised response mean 0.57)., Conclusions: We have developed and validated the EULAR ScleroID, which is a novel, brief, disease-specific, patient-derived, disease impact PROM, suitable for research and clinical use in SSc., Competing Interests: Competing interests: MB personal fees from Amgen and Bayer, outside the submitted work. RDo reports grants from Articulum Fellowship, sponsored by Pfizer (2013-2014), grants from Actelion, personal fees from Actelion and Boehringer-Ingelheim, outside the submitted work. AG none with respect to the study. RDe none with respect to the study.KF none with respect to the study. ATK none with respect to the study. AR none with respect to the study. YA reports grants and personal fees from Bayer, Boehringer-Ingelheim, Bristol Myers Squibb, Curzion, Inventiva, Roche and Sanofi during the conduct of the study. PEC reports consultancy relationship and/or research grants from: Abbvie, Actelion, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Corbus Pharma, Emerald Health Pharmaceuticals, Galapagos, Gesynta Pharma, Inventiva, iQvia, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma, MSD, Roche and Sanofi Genzyme. LC none with respect to the study. CPD reports grants and personal fees from GSK, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma, Boehringer-Ingelheim, Servier, Arxx Therapeutics, Bayer, Inventiva, Galapagos, Horizon, Roche, CSL Behring, Sanofi during the conduct of the study.RH reports personal lecture fees from Actelion Pharmaceuticals Sweden AB, Boehringer-Ingelheim Sweden AB, and Roche Sweden AB, and has been co-investigator in clinical trials for United Therapeutics and Actelion Pharmaceuticals Sweden AB, and has been involved in research advisory boards for Actelion Pharmaceuticals Sweden AB and Boehringer-Ingelheim Sweden AB. GS none with respect to the study. OK-B reports personal fees and/or congress support from Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, CSL Behring, Gilead, Inventiva, Medac, MSD, Novartis, Pfizer, Roche, Sandoz, outside the submitted work. CB reports personal fees from Actelion, personal fees from Boehringer-Ingelheim, personal fees from Eli Lilly, grants from Gruppo Italiano Lotta alla Sclerodermia (GILS), grants from New Horizon Fellowship, grants from European Scleroderma Trials and Research (EUSTAR), grants from Foundation for Research in Rheumatology (FOREUM), grants from Fondazione Italiana per la Ricerca sull’Artrite (FIRA), outside the submitted work. MM-C reports grants and personal fees from Actelion, personal fees from Biogen, personal fees from Bayer, personal fees from Boehringer Ingelheim, personal fees from CSL Behring, personal fees from Eli-Lilly, outside the submitted work. CM reports personal fees from Boehringer Ingelheim, Eli-Lilly, Mepha, MEDTalks Switzerland and congress support from Actelion and Roche, outside the submitted work. AMG reports consultancy fees from Boehringer-Ingelheim and congress support from Abbvie and Novartis, outside the submitted work. UM-L none with respect to the study. JS none with respect to the study. TKK none with respect to the study. TH reports no conflicts of interest.OD has/had consultancy relationship and/or has received research funding in the area of potential treatments of scleroderma and its complications from (last three years): Abbvie, Acceleron Pharma, Alexion, Amgen, AnaMar, Arxx Therapeutics, Baecon Discovery, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Catenion, Drug Development International, CSL Behring, ChemomAb, GSK, Horizon (Curzion) Pharmaceuticals, Inventiva, Italfarmaco, iQvia, Lilly, Medac, Medscape, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma, MSD, Novartis, Pfizer, Roche, Sanofi, Serodapharm, Target Bio Science and UCB In addition, he has a patent mir-29 for the treatment of systemic sclerosis issued (US8247389, EP2331143)., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2022. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Objectives: To identify the predictive clinical characteristics and establish a prediction model for the progression of mild interstitial lung disease (ILD) in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc)., Methods: Patients with SSc from two independent prospective cohorts were included in this observational study. All patients fulfilled the 2013 American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism criteria, had mild ILD at baseline diagnosed by High-Resolution Computed Tomography (HRCT), available baseline and ≥1 annual follow-up pulmonary function tests and no concomitant pulmonary hypertension or airflow obstruction. ILD progression was defined as a relative decrease in forced vital capacity (FVC)%≥15%, or FVC%≥10% combined with diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide %≥15% at 1-year follow-up. Candidate predictors for multivariate logistic regression were selected by expert opinion based on clinical significance. A prediction model for ILD progression was established in the derivation cohort and validated in the multinational validation cohort., Results: A total of 25/98 and 25/117 patients with SSc showed ILD progression in the derivation cohort and the validation cohort, respectively. Lower SpO 2 after 6 min walk test (6MWT) and arthritis ever were identified as independent predictors for ILD progression in both cohorts. The optimal cut-off value of SpO 2 after 6MWT for predicting ILD progression was determined as 94% by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. The derived SPAR model combining both predictors (SPO 2 and ARthritis) increased the prediction rate from 25.5% to 91.7% with an area under the curve (95% CI) of 0.83 (0.73 to 0.93)., Conclusions: The evidence-based SPAR prediction model developed in our study might be helpful for the risk stratification of patients with mild SSc-ILD in clinical practice and cohort enrichment for future clinical trial design., Competing Interests: Competing interests: OD has consultancy relationship and/or has received research funding from Actelion, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, ChemomAb, espeRare foundation, Genentech/Roche, GSK, Inventiva, Italfarmaco, Lilly, Medac, MedImmune, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma, Novartis, Pfizer, Sanofi, Sinoxa and UCB in the area of potential treatments of scleroderma and its complications, and a patent mir-29 for the treatment of systemic sclerosis licensed. YA has received grants from BMS, Genentech-Roche, Inventiva, Sanofi and consulting fees from Actelion, Bayer, Biogen, Boehringer, Genentech-Roche, Galapagos, Inventiva, Medac, Pfizer, Sanofi and Servier, about the treatment of systemic sclerosis. BM has received research funding in the area of systemic sclerosis and related conditions from AbbVie, Protagen, EMDO, Novartis, German SSc Society, Pfizer, Roche, Actelion, MSD, OPO Foundation and a patent mir-29 for the treatment of systemic sclerosis licensed. WW, SJ, MOB, RD, HF, SY, ES and A-MH-V have nothing to disclose., (© Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.)

Objective: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a severe complication of systemic sclerosis (SSc). In this longitudinal study, we aimed to identify factors associated with an unfavourable outcome in patients with SSc with early PAH (SSc-PAH) from the DETECT cohort., Methods: Patients with SSc-PAH enrolled in DETECT were observed for up to 3 years. Associations between cross-sectional variables and disease progression (defined as the occurrence of any of the following events: WHO Functional Class worsening, combination therapy for PAH, hospitalisation or death) were analysed by univariable logistic regression., Results: Of 57 patients with PAH (median observation time 12.6 months), 25 (43.9%) had disease progression. The following factors (OR (95% CI)) were associated with disease progression: male gender (4.1 (1.2 to 14.1)), high forced vital capacity % predicted/carbon monoxide lung diffusion capacity (DLCO)% predicted ratio (3.6 (1.2 to 10.7)), high Borg Dyspnoea Index (1.7 (1.1 to 2.6)) and low DLCO% predicted (non-linear relationship)., Conclusion: More than 40% of early-diagnosed patients with SSc-PAH had disease progression during a short follow-up time, with male gender, functional capacity and pulmonary function tests at PAH diagnosis being associated with progression. This suggests that even mild PAH should be considered a high-risk complication of SSc., Competing Interests: Competing interests: CM has/had consultancy relationship and/or has received honoraria from Actelion Pharmaceuticals, AbbVie, Roche and Geneva Romfarm in the area of systemic sclerosis and its complications. MA: no disclosures. RD has received research funding from Actelion Pharmaceuticals and Pfizer (Articulum fellowship). DB has/had consultancy relationship and/or has received research funding from Actelion Pharmaceuticals, GlaxoSmithKline, Merck Sharp & Dohme, Bayer, Pfizer, AOP Orphan and United Therapeutics. JGC has/had consultancy relationship and/or has received research funding from Actelion Pharmaceuticals, GlaxoSmithKline, United Therapeutics, Bayer and Endotronix. CPD has/had consultancy relationships, received lecture honoraria and/or has received research funding from Actelion Pharmaceuticals, Pfizer, GlaxoSmithKline, Sanofi-Aventis and Novartis. EG received speaker honoraria/advisory board fees and has taken part in clinical trials from Actelion Pharmaceuticals, GlaxoSmithKline, Merck Sharp & Dohme, Bayer, United Therapeutics, Pfizer, OMT, AOP Orphan and Novartis. DK has/had consultancy relationship and/or has received research funding from Actelion Pharmaceuticals, Bayer, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Covis, Cytori, EMD Serono, Genentech/Roche, Gilead, GSK, Sanofi-Aventis and NIH K24AR063120. VVM has acted as a consultant and/or received honoraria/lecture fees from Actelion Pharmaceuticals, Bayer, Gilead and United Therapeutics. She has received research funding (to the University of Michigan) from Actelion Pharmaceuticals, Bayer, Novartis and United Therapeutics. UM-L has acted as a consultant and lecturer for Actelion Pharmaceuticals, Pfizer and GlaxoSmithKline. JEP consults for Actelion Pharmaceuticals, Bayer, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Merck and Roche with respect to potential SSc treatment. JRS has/had consultancy relationships with Acer, Anthera, arGen-X, aTyr, Bayer, Blade, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol Myers Squibb, Biogen Idec, Covis, Eiger, EMD Serono, Genkyotex, Gilead, Ironwood, Medac, MedImmune, Mitsubishi, Octapharma, Roche-Genentech, Sanofi, Teva and United Therapeutics. MCV has/had consultancy relationship and/or has received research funding from Actelion Pharmaceuticals, Therabel and United Therapeutics. HC-B, MD and DMR are employees of Actelion Pharmaceuticals. OD has/had consultancy relationship and/or has received research funding from 4D Science, Actelion Pharmaceuticals, Active Biotec, Bayer, Biogen Idec, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma, Bristol-Myers Squibb, ChemomAb, EpiPharm, Ergonex, espeRare Foundation, GlaxoSmithKline, Roche-Genentech, Inventiva, Lilly, Medac, MedImmune, Mitsubishi Tanabe, Pharmacyclics, Pfizer, Sanofi, Serodapharm and Sinoxa in the area of potential treatments of scleroderma and its complications. He has a patent on mir-29 for the treatment of systemic sclerosis licensed., (© Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.)

Objectives: Improvement of skin fibrosis is part of the natural course of diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis (dcSSc). Recognising those patients most likely to improve could help tailoring clinical management and cohort enrichment for clinical trials. In this study, we aimed to identify predictors for improvement of skin fibrosis in patients with dcSSc., Methods: We performed a longitudinal analysis of the European Scleroderma Trials And Research (EUSTAR) registry including patients with dcSSc, fulfilling American College of Rheumatology criteria, baseline modified Rodnan skin score (mRSS) ≥7 and follow-up mRSS at 12±2 months. The primary outcome was skin improvement (decrease in mRSS of >5 points and ≥25%) at 1 year follow-up. A respective increase in mRSS was considered progression. Candidate predictors for skin improvement were selected by expert opinion and logistic regression with bootstrap validation was applied., Results: From the 919 patients included, 218 (24%) improved and 95 (10%) progressed. Eleven candidate predictors for skin improvement were analysed. The final model identified high baseline mRSS and absence of tendon friction rubs as independent predictors of skin improvement. The baseline mRSS was the strongest predictor of skin improvement, independent of disease duration. An upper threshold between 18 and 25 performed best in enriching for progressors over regressors., Conclusions: Patients with advanced skin fibrosis at baseline and absence of tendon friction rubs are more likely to regress in the next year than patients with milder skin fibrosis. These evidence-based data can be implemented in clinical trial design to minimise the inclusion of patients who would regress under standard of care., (Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/)

Objectives: Early diagnosis of interstitial lung disease (ILD), currently the main cause of death in systemic sclerosis (SSc), is needed. The gold standard is high-resolution CT (HRCT) of the chest, but regular screening faces the risk of increased radiation exposure. We performed a prospective validation of a dedicated, 9-slice HRCT protocol with reduced radiation dose for the detection of ILD in patients with SSc., Methods: We analysed 170/205 consecutive patients with SSc. Whole-chest HRCT, serving as standard of reference, and the reduced HRCT with nine slices allocated according to a basal-apical gradient were obtained. ILD presence, extent (> or <20%) and diagnostic confidence were assessed. The reduced HRCT was independently analysed by two blinded radiologists, who also evaluated image quality. Radiation dose parameters were calculated., Results: Standard chest HRCT showed ILD in 77/170 patients. With the reduced HRCT, 68/77 cases with ILD were identified (sensitivity 88.3%, both readers). The accuracy (91.8%, reader 1; 94.7%, reader 2), diagnostic confidence (98.8%, reader 1; 95.3%, reader 2) and image quality rates were high. Minimal ILD was correctly quantified in 73.1% (reader 1)/71.2% (reader 2) and extensive ILD in 88% (reader 1)/100% (reader 2). Importantly, the reduced HRCT had a significantly lower radiation dose. The mean dose length product (effective dose) was only 5.66±4.46 mGycm (0.08±0.06 mSv) compared with the standard protocol dose of 149.00±95.90 mGycm (2.09±1.34 mSv)., Conclusions: The above-described reduced chest HRCT protocol reliably detects even mild SSc-ILD in clinical practice, with the advantage of a much lower radiation dose compared with standard whole-chest HRCT., (Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.)