COVID-19 Antibody Responses In Cystic Fibrosis: CAR-CF

January 29, 2026 updated by: Medical University Innsbruck

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) which is caused by the virus SARS-CoV-2 has resulted in an ongoing global pandemic. It is unclear whether the relatively low number of reported cases of COVID-19 in people with CF (pwCF) is due to enhanced infection prevention practices or whether pwCF have protective genetic/immune factors. This study aims to prospectively assess the proportion of pwCF, including both adults and children with CF who have evidence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies over a two-year period. This study will also examine whether pwCF who have antibodies for SARS-CoV-2 have a different clinical presentation and what impact this has on their CF disease. The proposed study will recruit pwCF from paediatric and adult CF centres in Europe. Serological testing to detect antibodies will be performed on blood samples taken at month 0, 6, 12, 18 and 24 with additional time-points if bloodwork is available via normal clinical care. Clinical data on, lung function, CF-related medical history, pulmonary exacerbations, antibiotic use, and microbiology and vaccination receipt, will be collected during routine clinical assessments.

Associations will be examined between socio-demographic and clinical variables and serologic testing. The effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection on clinical outcomes and analyse end-points will be examined to explore any age-related or gender-based differences, as well as subgroup analysis of outcomes in lung-transplant recipients and pwCF receiving CFTR modulator therapies. As pwCF receive COVID-19 vaccination a comparison of the development and progression of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in pwCF following natural infection and vaccination SARS-CoV-2 over time will be performed.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Detailed Description

This is a prospective, longitudinal cohort study in people with Cystic Fibrosis (pwCF) that involves repeated serial sampling of participants. This study design was chosen to provide comprehensive information on SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence changes over time and the subsequent clinical impact on pwCF. The study will be conducted at participating CF centres over a 3-year period. Study participants will include paediatric and adult pwCF. Participating investigators can enrol all eligible pwCF over a 12-month period. Participants are then followed up for 24 months. Participants will donate blood samples at their routine clinic visits. Blood samples will be collected at Day 0 (baseline), at Months 6, 12, 18 and 24 (to coincide with routine clinical reviews). Additional blood samples will be taken opportunistically every time the participant visits the clinic for blood draws. These blood samples could be related to, routine care, annual review visits, pulmonary exacerbations (PEx), CF complications or when initiating new treatments (e.g. CFTR modulators).

Serum from blood samples will be shipped to a central laboratory (Queen's University Belfast) for standardized measurement of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies.

Alongside the blood samples the investigators will also collect clinical data from the patient's health records and will input this data into the case report form (CRF). Clinical data will be collected in conjunction with routine care visits, according to local clinical practice. Investigators will collect data elements from information routinely recorded in the patients' medical records. Data will be collected at baseline, month 6, 12, 18 and 24 as per the study schedule, and at additional blood sampling timepoints as previously explained above. Data collection will include routine data

available from CF clinic follow-ups including background demographic information, CF medical history, medications, exacerbation information, sputum microbiology and clinical and lung function parameters. Information on SARS-CoV-2 infection history and vaccine receipt will also be collected.

The maximum follow-up duration of participation in the study for each patient will be 24 months. This study duration (24-month follow-up) is justified as it provides sufficient time to observe changes in antibody prevalence over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as sufficient time to determine long term clinical outcomes for pwCF who are SARS-CoV-2 seropositive. Furthermore, we anticipate the 2-year study follow-up period will provide sufficient time to observe the impact of vaccination on antibody levels given that a number of vaccines are now commercially available.

The investigators will compare the level of antibody responses between natural COVID-19 infection and vaccination in pwCF and how this varies over time. This will be achieved by analyzing seroprevalence and antibody levels according to natural infection and vaccination status and according to time of sample post infection or post vaccination, if known.

Optional Study sample collection:

For participants who consent, a second blood sample will also be drawn into EDTA tubes (plasma). Consent to this optional study sample would allow this sample and any remaining serum (following antibody testing) to be stored for future analysis and allow further research to be carried out on related studies to COVID-19 and CF.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Observational

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
152

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • Austria
    • Tyrol
      • Innsbruck, Tyrol, Austria, 6020
        • CF Centre Innsbruck, Medical University of Innsbruck, Univ. Clinic for Paediatics III

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Child
  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Consenting people with cystic fibrosis of any age, genotype, transplant status and disease severity will be eligible to participate in the study. The study population is expected to be representative of the general CF population.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Consenting people with cystic fibrosis of any age, genotype, transplant status and disease severity

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Refusal to give informed consent
  • Contraindication to venepuncture

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Observational Models: Cohort
  • Time Perspectives: Prospective

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
SARS-COV-2 seroprevalence
Time Frame: 3-year period (comprising a 1-year enrollment period and a 2-year follow-up)
proportion of pwCF with at least 1 seropositive result over the study period and the difference in this proportion by age, geographical area and over time.
3-year period (comprising a 1-year enrollment period and a 2-year follow-up)
Association of SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity, clinical symptoms and clinical outcomes in pwCF
Time Frame: 3-year period (comprising a 1-year enrollment period and a 2-year follow-up)
incidence of symptomatic COVID-19 over the study period and severity; proportion of seropositive pwCF with subsequent CF exacerbation compared to pwCF who are seronegative; death rate in pwCF with at least one seropositive result compared to pwCF who are seronegative.
3-year period (comprising a 1-year enrollment period and a 2-year follow-up)
Longitudinal comparison of the detection including level and duration of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in pwCF following natural infection and SARS-CoV-2 vaccination.
Time Frame: 3-year period (comprising a 1-year enrollment period and a 2-year follow-up)
Longitudinal comparison of the detection including level and duration of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in pwCF following natural infection and SARS-CoV-2 vaccination.
3-year period (comprising a 1-year enrollment period and a 2-year follow-up)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Serum proteomic and genomic responses of pwCF who are SARS-CoV-2 seropositive an seronegative.
Time Frame: anticipated 5-10 years
Serum proteomic and genomic responses of pwCF who are SARS-CoV-2 seropositive an seronegative.
anticipated 5-10 years

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Medical University Innsbruck

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
Queen's University, Belfast
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
European Cystic Fibrosis Society - Clinical Trials Network

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Dorothea Appelt, MD, Medical University of Innsbruck, CF Centre Innsbruck, Univ. Clinic for Paediatrics III

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
September 1, 2021

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
September 30, 2024

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
November 30, 2024

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
September 20, 2021

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
September 22, 2021

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
September 23, 2021

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
February 2, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
January 29, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
July 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • CAR-CF V1.0_21April2021

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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