Utility of Lung Clearance Index Score as a Noninvasive Marker of Small Airways Disease

To determine the utility and sensitivity of the lung clearance index (LCI) technique as a marker of small airways disease in adults with chronic lung conditions compared to healthy adults, adjusting for age, sex and smoking status.

Study Overview

• Status: Active, not recruiting
• Conditions: Chronic Lung Disease
• Intervention / Treatment: Device: lung clearance index (LCI)

Detailed Description

Target Population and Enrollment. The study will recruit and consent 300 patients from our Occupational Medicine and Interstitial Lung/Rheumatology Clinics at National Jewish Health who have been referred for evaluation of chronic lung conditions. The healthy control group will comprise 300 volunteers who are at least 18 years of age, have no history of pre-existing lung disease, and report no respiratory illness in the four weeks preceding enrollment. Inclusion criteria for the group with chronic lung disease will include physician diagnosis of a chronic lung condition (e.g. bronchiolitis, pulmonary fibrosis, asthma, coal mine dust lung disease, asbestosis), and age ≥18 years. Exclusion criteria will include recent myocardial infarction, stroke, eye surgery, chest/abdominal surgery (within past month), known thoracic, aortic, or cerebral aneurysm, or uncontrolled hypertension. Study participation will consist of one visit that will last between 90-120 minutes. The chronic lung disease group will fill out the informed consent and complete both LCI testing and spirometry. The healthy control group will complete informed consent, a brief questionnaire, LCI testing, and spirometry.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Estimated): 600

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Colorado
    • Denver, Colorado, United States, 80206
      • National Jewish Health

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Symptomatic military deployers with deployment-related lung disease seen at National Jewish Health and healthy controls subjects.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• physician diagnosis of a chronic lung condition (e.g. bronchiolitis, pulmonary fibrosis, asthma, coal mine dust lung disease, asbestosis), and age ≥18 years.

The healthy control group will comprise 300 volunteers who are at least 18 years of age, have no history of pre-existing lung disease, and report no respiratory illness in the four weeks preceding enrollment

Exclusion Criteria:

• Exclusion criteria will include recent myocardial infarction, stroke, eye surgery, chest/abdominal surgery (within past month), known thoracic, aortic, or cerebral aneurysm, or uncontrolled hypertension.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Observational Models: Case-Control
• Time Perspectives: Cross-Sectional

Number of groups / cohorts

2

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort	Intervention / Treatment
Chronic Lung conditions; Study participation will consist of one visit: Informed consent, complete both Lung Clearance Index (LCI) testing and spirometry.	Device: lung clearance index (LCI); Determine the utility and sensitivity of the lung clearance index (LCI) technique as a marker of lung injury/small airways disease in adults with chronic lung conditions compared to health adults, adjusting for age, sex, and smoking status.
Healthy control group; Study participation will consist of one visit: Informed consent, brief questionnaire, LCI testing and spirometry.	Device: lung clearance index (LCI); Determine the utility and sensitivity of the lung clearance index (LCI) technique as a marker of lung injury/small airways disease in adults with chronic lung conditions compared to health adults, adjusting for age, sex, and smoking status.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Lung Clearance Index (LCI) technique can be used as a marker of small airways disease in adults with chronic lung conditions	Average of three acceptable trials.	Up to 12 months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: National Jewish Health

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Zell-Baran LM, Krefft SD, Moore CM, Wolff J, Meehan R, Rose CS. Multiple breath washout: A noninvasive tool for identifying lung disease in symptomatic military deployers. Respir Med. 2021 Jan;176:106281. doi: 10.1016/j.rmed.2020.106281. Epub 2020 Dec 5.
• Zell-Baran LM, Krefft SD, Moore CM, Wolff J, Meehan R, Rose CS. Multiple breath washout test data for healthy controls. Data Brief. 2020 Dec 10;34:106641. doi: 10.1016/j.dib.2020.106641. eCollection 2021 Feb.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): April 24, 2017
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2030
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2030

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: July 24, 2017
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 2, 2017
• First Posted (Actual): August 7, 2017

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 15, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 10, 2026
• Last Verified: April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Respiratory Tract Diseases; Lung Diseases
• Other Study ID Numbers: HS-2985

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No