Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD)Better TestsNCT07615504
Better Tests- Improving Diagnostic Accuracy and Prognostication in Interstitial Lung Diseases
An observational study of Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD), run by University of Dundee at 3 sites in United Kingdom.
Trial summary
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. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 90 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD)
- How many people
- 750 participants
- Where
- 3 sitesUnited Kingdom
- Study dates
- 17 Jan 2026to 15 Jan 2036
- How long will I take part?
- 5 Years
- Phase
- Observational
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 90 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Study population: Active Pigeon Fanciers, or patients with ILD presenting to clinics or hospital services with severe respiratory failure due to ILD
Who may be able to join
- 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.
Who cannot join
- Unable to provide informed consent
Trial locations and contacts
3 sites in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
United Kingdom3 sites, 3 recruiting
- Recruiting
Winter Gardens
Blackpool, FY1 1HU
Mark Spears, PhD FRCP, 44 1253 629600, mspears001@dundee.ac.uk
Mark Spears, PhD FRCP
- Recruiting
Ninewells Hospital
Dundee, DD21UB
Mark Spears, PhD FRCP, 44 1382 660111, mspears001@dundee.ac.uk
Mark Spears, PhD FRCP
- Recruiting
Perth Royal Infirmary
Perth, PH1 1NX
Mar Spears, PhD FRCP, 44 1738 473861, mspears001@dundee.ac.uk
Mark Spears, PhD FRCP
About this study
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.
Read the detailed description
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).
- Conditions
- Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD)
- Keywords
- Interstitial Lung Disease, Lung fibrosis, Non-invasive assessment, Pigeon fanciers, Prognostication, Diagnosis
- Medical subject headings
- Lung Diseases, Interstitial, Pulmonary Fibrosis, Disease
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Pigeon Fanciers | Active Pigeon Fanciers | |
| Clinic patients with ILD | Patients with established Interstitial Lung Disease attending clinic | |
| Hospital patients with ILD | Patients with established Interstitial Lung Disease admitted due to their condition |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Prediction of subsequent clinical outcomes
The utilised tests will be examined for their ability to accurately predict the subsequent diagnostic label for ILD and clinical behaviour
Measured: 5 years
Acceptability to participants
The tests employed will be assessed for their ease of performance and acceptability from a participant perspective
Measured: 5 years
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted29 May 2026
- Study start17 Jan 2026
- Primary completion15 Jan 2036 (estimated)
- Study completion15 Jan 2036 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD)Studies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Observational
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Prospective
- Enrolment
- 750 participants (estimated)
- Target duration
- 5 Years
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Dundee
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- British Pigeon Fanciers Medical Research, NHS Tayside
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Mark Spears, University of Dundee
- Investigators
- Mark Spears, PhD FRCP, Principal investigator, NHS Tayside and University of Dundee
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07615504
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 3-067-24
- Other IDs
- Charity
- Acronym
- Better Tests
- Status last verified
- May 2026
- First submitted
- 22 May 2026
- Last updated
- 29 May 2026
- Results posted
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Undecided: Likely we will, but I need to clarify how best to do this. Data will not be available for sharing for several years, allowing time to discuss with sponsor on how to approach (mapping to recognised best practice at that time as likely to evolve)
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 29 May 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Better Tests- Improving Diagnostic Accuracy and Prognostication in Interstitial Lung Diseases
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07615504
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- Better Tests / 3-067-24
- Conditions
- Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD)
- Keywords
- Interstitial Lung Disease, Lung fibrosis, Non-invasive assessment, Pigeon fanciers, Prognostication, Diagnosis
- Study type
- Observational
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 750 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- University of DundeeUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- British Pigeon Fanciers Medical Research, NHS Tayside
- Study start
- 17 Jan 2026 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 15 Jan 2036 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 15 Jan 2036 (estimated)
- First posted
- 29 May 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
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.
Detailed description
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).
Study design
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Prospective
- Target follow-up
- 5 Years
- Number of arms
- 3
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Pigeon Fanciers | – | –Active Pigeon Fanciers |
| Clinic patients with ILD | – | –Patients with established Interstitial Lung Disease attending clinic |
| Hospital patients with ILD | – | –Patients with established Interstitial Lung Disease admitted due to their condition |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 90 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
- Study population
- Active Pigeon Fanciers, or patients with ILD presenting to clinics or hospital services with severe respiratory failure due to ILD
Key inclusion criteria (1 listed)
- 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.
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Unable to provide informed consent
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Primary outcome
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
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 29 May 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Undecided. Likely we will, but I need to clarify how best to do this. Data will not be available for sharing for several years, allowing time to discuss with sponsor on how to approach (mapping to recognised best practice at that time as likely to evolve)
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
Mark Spears, PhD FRCP principal investigator
NHS Tayside and University of Dundee
3 sites in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
An observational study of Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD), run by University of Dundee at 3 sites in United Kingdom.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 1 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 29 May 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 3 sites in United Kingdom. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Mark Spears, PhD FRCP (+44 1738 473861, mspears001@dundee.ac.uk), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Prediction of subsequent clinical outcomes (time frame: 5 years). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 29 May 2026.