Pathway enrichment analysis for SSc‐ILD patients' peripheral blood indicated significant enrichment in ECM‐receptor interaction pathways (e.g., TNN/COL4A6/THBS4/COL4A5/ITGB4/SPP1/COL9A2/COMP/COL9A3/SV2B/FREM1/ITGA11/COL1A1/ITGA7/GP5/RELN/COL1A2, Padj = 0.0022) and cytokine‐cytokine receptor interaction pathways (e.g., CXCL14/NGFR/CD27/CXCL13/CXCL12/TNFRSF13B/TNFRSF13C/TNFRSF19/TNFRSF17/IL31RA/GDF7/BMP7/CCL24/CCL14/BMP4/CXCL11/TNFRSF18/INHBB/IL13RA2/BMPR1B/EDAR/EDA2R/CXCL6/CXCL10/IL11/CNTFR/IL5RA/IFNG/CCR6/GDF6/CCL22/CCR7/CNTF/CCL21/CX3CL1/CCL16/CCL8, Padj = 0.0033). This evidence concerns the gene COL9A2 and systemic sclerosis.