Monitoring patients with chronic, inflammatory airways disease particularly in the early stages is hampered by the relative insensitivity of current outcome measures to detect subtle changes. Multiple breath washout is a potential sensitive test that is a useful readout of disease at these early stages but it lacks standardisation and knowledge of variability with reference to standard lung function measures. This is a Cross sectional and longitudinal observation study. The hypothesis is that multiple breath washout-derived indices will provide a robust signal of gas mixing inhomogeneity, correlating with conventional measures of airway disease severity. Multiple breath washout performed on different devices will generate indices which correlate but differ in value.
Who can participate
Age range
2 Years
Sex
ALL
See this in plain English?
AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
Inclusion criteria
* For patients with the following respiratory disease, diagnosis confirmed by:
* CF: diagnosed by standard criteria
* PCD: diagnosed by ciliary beat frequency measurement, ciliary beat pattern analysis or electron microscopy of ciliary ultrastructure, or genetics
* Non-CF bronchiectasis: CT diagnosis of bronchiectasis and not fulfilling diagnostic criteria for CF or PCD
* Asthma: as diagnosed by standard diagnostic criteria of British Thoracic Society/Scottish Intercollegiate Guideline Network (BTS/SIGN) guidelines.
* Persistent bacterial bronchitis defined as a wet cough present for \>1 month, usually with bronchoscopic evidence of chronic infection, that resolves with appropriate antibiotic therapy
* Sleep Disordered Breathing.
* For healthy volunteers, these will be colleagues and staff contacts (including children) at a participating centre i.e. Royal Brompton Hospital, or will be siblings of patients.
* Written informed consent (assent from children of appropriate age) obtained.
Exclusion criteria
* Positive culture (within the last year of / receiving treatment for Mycobaterium tuberculosis or abscessus (due to cross-infection concerns).
* Pregnant or breastfeeding.
* Inability to understand or cooperate with the test(s).
* Inability to give informed consent, or withdrawal of informed consent.
Questions worth asking your doctor
Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.
1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?
Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.
Questions for the trial coordinator
The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.
1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?
A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.
What they're measuring
1
Lung Clearance Index
Timeframe: Each testing session may take up to 90 minutes but most likely it will be under an hour. The MBW test will be completed at each visit and the LCI and other MBW results are obtained from data analysis post completion.