FRI0442 Prognostic Role of Exhaled Breath Condensate in Patients with Pulmonary Involvement Associated to Systemic Sclerosis

Background Lung involvement due to interstitial lung disease (ILD) and/or pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is the most important cause of death in systemic sclerosis (SSc). Objectives To assess the clinical usefulness of exhaled breath and exhaled breath condensate (EBC) biomarkers in the study of scleroderma pulmonary involvement (PI), and their correlation with disease progression. Methods Fraction exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) and exhaled carbon monoxide (eCO) measured in exhaled breath and pH, nitrite, nitrate and interleukin-6 in EBC were prospectively collected from 35 patients with SSc. Fourteen had established PI as presence of ILD or PAH, and 21 patients with no lung involvement. Pulmonary function tests (PFT) and clinical approaches were performed annually during 4 years of follow-up. A progression-free survival (PFS) analysis was performed defining end point as a decrease from baseline FVC of at least 10%, or a 15% diminution in DLCO, or death during follow-up. Results There were no statistical differences in demographic data and the baseline characteristics between both groups. Median (interquartile range, IQR) age was 59.0 (42.0 to 68.0) years. Limited SSc was the most common cutaneous subset (28, 80%). The median of pulmonary duration disease was 1.7 years in PI group. Regarding lung function data at baseline, lower median FVC % and DLCO % values were identified in the PI group (76.5 vs. 94.2, p Conclusions The pH and FeNO levels are implicated in the pathophysiology of the scleroderma lung. Exhaled breath and EBC may reflect the pulmonary inflammation with a non-invasive test, in which the biomarkers are correlated with a different outcome. Disclosure of Interest None declared