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

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.

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Key information

Conditions

Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD) Disease Fibrosis Lung Diseases Lung Diseases, Interstitial Pathologic Processes Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Pulmonary Fibrosis Respiratory Tract Diseases

Age range

18 year–90 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Primary location

Winter Gardens, Blackpool, United Kingdom

About this study

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).

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

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

Treatment and study plan

Primary outcomes

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
Acceptability to participants

Time frame: 5 years

The tests employed will be assessed for their ease of performance and acceptability from a participant perspective

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Mark Spears, PhD FRCP

CONTACT

[email protected]

+44 1738 473861

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Dundee

Other

Collaborators

British Pigeon Fanciers Medical Research
NHS Tayside

Registry information

Acronym: Better Tests

Important dates

Study start: 2026
Primary completion: 2036
Study completion: 2036
First posted: May 29, 2026
Registry last updated: May 29, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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