Observational

Interstitial lung disease

Feasibility study for comparative analysis of proteome and single-cell RNA sequencing in chronic lung disease patients with and without sarcopenia – To evaluate the feasibility and patient acceptability of using the FACS approach (finding, assessing, confirming and severity assessment) for determining the prevalence of sarcopenia in patients with chronic lung disease.  To investigate the relationship between sarcopenia and chronic lung disease by assessing the feasibility of utilising single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) profiles of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and proteomics to identify molecular differences in patients with and without sarcopenia. Read more here. CURRENTLY RECRUITING.

CT/PET in patients with interstitial lung disease – To evaluate the efficacy of PET/CT in assessing active inflammation, determining prognosis, predicting therapeutic response, correlating structural appearances with tracer uptake, and detecting PET CT signals on MRI in patients with interstitial/fibrotic disease.

The UK Interstitial Lung Disease Long-COVID19 study (UKILD-Long COVID): understanding the burden of Interstitial Lung Disease in Long COVID – To determine the prevalence of ILD at 12 months following SARS-CoV-2 infection and whether clinical severity correlates with severity of ILD in survivors.

The Neutrophil Lymphocyte Ratio as a prognostic factor in interstitial lung diseases – Neutrophil Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR) has recently been shown to be an independent prognostic factor in several malignancies and has been evaluated in other inflammatory processes. We want to evaluate the optimal NLR to define high and low risk groups in different ILD subtypes and determine whether NLR can predict time to death/transplant in different ILDs. This will hopefully improve both prognostication and patient selection for early treatment, thereby improving patient outcomes.

Remote Assessment of Lung disease and impact on Physical and Mental Health (RALPMH) – The study aims to investigate the potential benefit of remote monitoring of patients’ symptoms and physiology via wearables and phone sensors in patients with a range of high-burden pulmonary disorders.

The INHALE study – Investigating whether new drugs for pulmonary fibrosis can be delivered directly to the lungs via inhalation and therefore avoiding toxic side-effects.

Novel imaging – We are looking at machines learning to teach computers to read CT scans in lung diseases, such as IPF and sarcoid. This will allow us to be more accurate in comparing scans between patients and in the same patient, over time or with treatment.

Molecular imaging studies to investigate mechanisms, prognosis and response to therapy in interstitial lung disease – Investigating the ability of special scans, called PET scans, to light up active areas of lung fibrosis to help us decide on treatment courses.

COVID-19

• PHOSP-COVID – Post-hospitalisation COVID-19 study: a national consortium to understand and improve long-term health outcomes:
  • As COVID-19 is a new disease, this national Urgent Public Health badged study aims to identify whether there are longer-term health problems of COVID-19 for those who were admitted to hospital. We want to understand:
    • why some people experience more severe COVID-19 than others.
    • why some people recover more quickly than others.
    • why some patients develop other health problems later on.
    • which treatments or interventions patients received in hospital or afterwards were helpful.
    • how we can improve the care of patients after they have been discharged from hospital.
  • Finally, we want to develop a resource of data and samples that other researchers can use to answer their questions quickly to help improve outcomes in future.
    For more information on UCLH Clinical Trials, visit: https://findastudy.uclh.nhs.uk/#/
    For more information on international Clinical Trials in ILD, visit: https://trials.eu-ipff.org/
• UKILD Post-COVID-19 ILD:
  • We are carrying out studies looking at the development of ILD in patients with COVID-19. This is a rare side-effect of COVID-19 affecting around 4-6% of patients, but may give us valuable insights into the development of ILD.