Table 2

Most frequent adverse events reported in the INPULSIS trials (reproduced with permission from ref. 18)

n (%)Nintedanib (n=638)Placebo (n=423)
Most frequent adverse events*
 Diarrhoea398 (62.4)78 (18.4)
 Nausea156 (24.5)28 (6.6)
 Nasopharyngitis87 (13.6)68 (16.1)
 Cough85 (13.3)57 (13.5)
 Progression of IPF†64 (10.0)61 (14.4)
 Bronchitis67 (10.5)45 (10.6)
 Dyspnoea49 (7.7)48 (11.3)
 Decreased appetite68 (10.7)24 (5.7)
 Vomiting74 (11.6)11 (2.6)
Adverse events that most frequently led to permanent treatment discontinuation‡
 Progression of IPF†13 (2.0)21 (5.0)
 Diarrhoea28 (4.4)1 (0.2)
 Nausea13 (2.0)0 (0.0)
 Decreased appetite9 (1.4)1 (0.2)
 Pneumonia6 (0.9)1 (0.2)
 Weight decreased6 (0.9)1 (0.2)
 Abdominal pain5 (0.8)1 (0.2)
 Vomiting5 (0.8)0 (0.0)
 Asthenia4 (0.6)0 (0.0)
 Increased alanine aminotransferase (ALT)4 (0.6)0 (0.0)
  • Data shown are the number (%) of patients who received ≥1 dose of study medication who reported ≥1 such adverse event. Adverse events reported by the investigators were coded according to preferred terms in the Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities (MedDRA).

  • *Adverse events reported in >10% of patients in the nintedanib and/or placebo group.

  • †Corresponds to the MedDRA preferred term ‘IPF’, which included disease worsening and IPF exacerbations.

  • ‡Adverse events leading to permanent treatment discontinuation in >0.5% of patients in the nintedanib and/or placebo group.

  • IPF, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.