A Longitudinal, Observational Study of Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia in Adults

Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is a rare, genetically heterogeneous disease characterized by progressive upper and lower respiratory tract infections and inflammation caused by impaired mucociliary clearance (MCC). While longitudinal studies of children and adolescents with PCD have informed the early natural history of lung disease, there remains a knowledge gap in disease characteristics and progression in adults. There are no prospective published data evaluating the natural history of airway morbidity and mortality in adults, and little is known about the optimal clinical measures and biomarkers to evaluate disease progression. Cohort studies are needed to understand clinical measures and biomarkers across the lifespan of people with PCD, distinguish disease subtypes, and define endpoint variability. Natural history studies are critical for designing future clinical trials. New therapies have lagged in part due to lack of clear clinical biomarkers for adults.

The overarching goal is to characterize clinical measures and biomarkers of airway disease in adults with PCD. In addition, a subset of these clinical measures and biomarkers will be collected in a group of healthy volunteers (HV) to establish normative values.

Inclusion criteria

• PCD diagnosis with confirmation of 2 identified pathogenic genetic variants within 1 of the following ultrastructure variants:
• DNAI1 ODA defect
• Other ODA defect
• IDA - MTD defect
• RS defect
• Informed consent

Exclusion criteria

• Are a current smoker (e-cigarette, tobacco, or marijuana)
• Are a former smoker who discontinued smoking <1 year prior to enrollment or has a cumulative 1+ pack-year smoking history
• Have a recent stable forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) <35% predicted
• Have contraindications for MRI studies (implanted devices/materials; inability to tolerate; claustrophobia or severe anxiety that would preclude MRI/imaging)
• Have had a significant clinical radiation exposure (as determined by the investigator) within the past 6 months. Potential participants who have had a chest CT within the past 6 months may be eligible to be enrolled and their clinical CT will be utilized as the baseline for this study
• Are pregnant or breastfeeding
• Have any comorbidities likely to impact lung function (e.g., complex congenital heart disease, severe scoliosis, diseases involving immune dysregulation, lung transplantation, lung lobectomy, end-stage renal disease, or poor overall health status).