About this trial
Sarcoidosis is generally managed with outdoor immune modulatory drugs, most commonly oral steroids and at times drugs like methotrexate or azathioprine as a steroid sparing agent.
Around 15-20% of sarcoidosis patient develop fibrosis of the lung parenchyma. The effect of antifibrotics in such patients needs more studies. Nintedanib has been used with good results in patients with fibrosing interstitial lung disease like IPF, SSC- ILD, and other progressive fibrosing ILD. By using nintedanib in fibrotic sarcoidosis it may be possible to limit the functional disability in these patients by slowing the rate of fibrosis and loss of lung function. The use of nintedanib if results in decrease in fibrosis and consequent decline in loss of lung function then it may be a safe and viable option for such patients.
The hypothesis of this study is that in patients with fibrotic sarcoidosis on standard of care anti-inflammatory therapy, nintedanib may help in reducing the rate of decline in lung function and progressive fibrosis. The aim is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of nintedanib in subjects with fibrotic sarcoidosis
Eligibility criteria
Qualifiers
Age more than 18 years
Diagnosed with pulmonary sarcoidosis (clinico-radiologic presentation consistent with pulmonary sarcoidosis (with or without extrapulmonary involvement) along with presence of non-necrotising granulomatous inflammation in any of the involved organ/tissue and exclusion of a known cause for the granulomatous inflammation OR in the absence of demonstration of granulomatous inflammation in tissues, a diagnosis of fibrotic pulmonary sarcoidosis on a multidisciplinary discussion (enrolment of subjects meeting the latter criteria will be capped at 20% of the planned sample size)
Presence of signs of fibrosis on a computed tomography scan such as coarse reticulation, irregular lines, traction bronchiectasis, fibrotic masses, or honeycombing involving ≥20% of the lung fields on visual examination
Having symptoms of breathlessness grade 1 or more on the modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) scale or persistent cough for more than 3 months
Disqualifiers
Known cardiopulmonary or other comorbid illness that can explain the subject's illness except group 3 pulmonary hypertension due to fibrotic pulmonary sarcoidosis
Hypersensitivity or contraindication to nintedanib (including high dose antiplatelets or anticoagulants, and bleeding diatheses)
Received an antifibrotic drug such as pirfenidone or nintedanib for ≥8 weeks in the past one year
Baseline deranged liver function (alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase or bilirubin more than 1·5 times the upper normal limit [except in the case of Gilbert's syndrome])
Trial design
Treatments tested in this trial
- Nintedanib
- Standard of care