Fig. 4

Change in lung function over all patients distinguished in three categories of values at the start of specific therapy (or at baseline for patients who never took immunosuppressant therapy (never IS)) assessed by forced vital capacity (FVC) (a) and diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (DLCO) (b). Effects of different therapies on change in FVC (c) and change in DLCO (d) compared to the overall trend within these three categories, adjusted for differences in sex, age, disease duration, extent of skin involvement and initial FVC or DLCO value, respectively. Additive effects indicate the same slope shifted to a higher (+) or lower (-) level; positive multiplicative effects indicate a steeper rising or less declining slope; negative multiplicative effects indicate a stronger declining slope. CYC cyclophosphamide, MMF mycophenolate mofetil, TNF tumor necrosis factor inhibitor, GC glucocorticoid, MTX methotrexate, AZA azathioprine, IS immunosuppression