As ΔppFVC in patients with serum KL-6 levels ≥364 U/ml and serum CRP levels <0.55 mg/dl tended to be higher in the rituximab group than in the placebo group at 24 weeks without reaching significance (Fig. 2B), further studies are needed to validate the efficacy of rituximab in SSc-ILD in this subpopulation. This evidence concerns the gene MUC1 and interstitial lung disease.