Better Tests- Improving Diagnostic Accuracy and Prognostication in Interstitial Lung Diseases (Better Tests)

May 22, 2026 updated by: Mark Spears, University of Dundee

Patients with interstitial lung diseases (ILD) suffer significant delays in obtaining a diagnosis, and objective evidence of support for immunosuppressive therapies, due to weaknesses in the diagnostic tests available in ILD clinics.

This project will assess several non-invasive assessments, focusing on blood and breath based sampling, to identify candidate tests that may translate through to routine clinical use. The tests being assessed will be initially employed in Pigeon Fanciers, a group recognised to be at high risk of developing ILD compared to age matched controls, due to their regular exposure to a known cause of ILD. Candidate tests will also be assessed for change over time in this group. Tests which show promise will then be utilised in patients with ILD diagnoses, including those with severe respiratory failure, to assess their acceptability to patients and their ability to provide useful prognostic information, to allow powering of future definitive clinical trials.

Study Overview

Status

Recruiting

Conditions

Detailed Description

Pigeon Fanciers attending a recruitment event at one of the large national meetings for the sport will undergo assessments after completion of informed consent. The basic assessments include collection of height, weight and lung function (e.g. spirometry). In addition we will collect basic information about current health, past medical history and current pigeon keeping habits (number kept, time spent with birds etc). Participants will then have a blood sample taken for collection of antibody level against Pigeons, and for storage for subsequent processing of relevant candidate objective tests. Participants will also perform an additional breathing test to allow collection of exhaled air, which will be analysed on site or via subsequent testing (dependent on test required). Results will be linked to symptoms on exposure to their pigeons and any subsequent diagnoses obtained.

Subsequent follow up of the Pigeon Fancier cohort, again via the participants attendance at large national meetings, will allow repeat of the candidate tests, enabling determination of natural variation and the effect of change in exposure or development of new medical conditions. We will also examine the dynamic change in candidate tests following natural exposures to causes of ILD, by performing the tests with a subset of Pigeon Fanciers before, during and after exposure to their birds.

Patients attending Interstitial Lung Disease clinics in NHS Tayside, and when admitted with their Interstitial Lung Disease, will be offered the opportunity to perform the non-invasive assessments available to Pigeon Fanciers, with their results being linked to subsequent clinical outcomes (progression of disease, response to treatment and time to death).

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment (Estimated)

750

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 Locations

  • United Kingdom
      • Blackpool, United Kingdom, FY1 1HU
        • Recruiting
        • Winter Gardens
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Mark Spears, PhD FRCP
      • Dundee, United Kingdom, DD21UB
        • Recruiting
        • Ninewells Hospital
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Mark Spears, PhD FRCP
        • Contact:
      • Perth, United Kingdom, PH1 1NX
        • Recruiting
        • Perth Royal Infirmary
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Mark Spears, PhD FRCP
        • Contact:

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

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Active Pigeon Fanciers, or patients with ILD presenting to clinics or hospital services with severe respiratory failure due to ILD

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

To participate subjects will either have to be active Pigeon Fanciers, or will be either attending ILD clinics for management of their interstitial lung disease or will present acutely to hospital services with severe respiratory failure due to ILD.

Exclusion Criteria:

Unable to provide informed consent

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

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Pigeon Fanciers
Active Pigeon Fanciers
Clinic patients with ILD
Patients with established Interstitial Lung Disease attending clinic
Hospital patients with ILD
Patients with established Interstitial Lung Disease admitted due to their condition

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Prediction of subsequent clinical outcomes
Time Frame: 5 years
The utilised tests will be examined for their ability to accurately predict the subsequent diagnostic label for ILD and clinical behaviour
5 years
Acceptability to participants
Time Frame: 5 years
The tests employed will be assessed for their ease of performance and acceptability from a participant perspective
5 years

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

University of Dundee

Collaborators

NHS Tayside
British Pigeon Fanciers Medical Research

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Mark Spears, PhD FRCP, NHS Tayside and University of Dundee

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)

January 17, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

January 15, 2036

Study Completion (Estimated)

January 15, 2036

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

May 22, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 22, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

May 29, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

May 29, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 22, 2026

Last Verified

May 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 3-067-24
  • Charity (Other Grant/Funding Number: British Pigeon Fanciers Medical Research Charity)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

UNDECIDED

IPD Plan Description

Likely we will, but I need to clarify how best to do this. Data will not be available for sharing for several years, allowing time to discuss with sponsor on how to approach (mapping to recognised best practice at that time as likely to evolve)

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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