Real-Time Mass Spectrometry Breath Analysis for the Investigation of Respiratory Tract Infections (NCT07685275) | Clinical Trial Compass
Not Yet RecruitingNot Applicable
Real-Time Mass Spectrometry Breath Analysis for the Investigation of Respiratory Tract Infections
France450 participantsStarted 2026-06-30
Plain-language summary
Lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) remain a major global health burden, with diagnosis often challenged by clinical heterogeneity, overlapping symptoms, difficulty in obtaining quality biological specimens and limitations of conventional microbiological testing. Exhaled breath contains thousands of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), arising from both host metabolism and microbial activity, and provides a non-invasive window into the metabolic landscape of infection. Emerging evidence from in vitro studies, animal models, and clinical investigations supports the existence of pathogen-specific VOC signatures. However, most published studies have relied on offline methods, such as gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and robust proof-of-concept for real-time, bedside analysis in diverse, real-world populations is lacking. Proton transfer reaction-mass spectrometry (PTR-MS) offers rapid, quantitative, and non-invasive assessment of breath VOCs in both spontaneously breathing and mechanically ventilated patients.
Who can participate
Age range
1 Month
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:
* Patient aged \> 1 month, either spontaneously breathing or intubated and mechanically ventilated
* Having suspected lower respiratory tract infection (dyspnea or tachypnea or cough or sputum production or fever or decreased breath sounds on auscultation or any other suspicious diagnostic test (imaging, blood analysis)) or previously documented chronic airway colonization
* Willing to provide informed consent and affiliated with a health insurance system
Exclusion Criteria:
* Patients or representative unable to provide informed consent
* Persons under guardianship or curatorship or persons deprived of liberty
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.