Aerosol Clearance in Patients with and without Long COVID v1.2
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A Feasibility Study to Assess Alveolar Epithelial Permeability in Smoking and Non-smoking Control Groups and Patients Suffering Ongoing Symptoms more than Four Weeks since COVID-19 Infection (Long COVID) using Pulmonary Clearance of [99mTc]DTPA Aerosol Measured by Lung Scintigraphy.
IRAS ID
313254
Contact name
Thomas Biggans
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Tayside Health Board
ISRCTN Number
ISRCTN11309292
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
The aim of this study is to contribute to our understanding of "long COVID" by determining if the permeability of the alveolar epithelial membrane has been affected in patients suffering from this new condition. The physiological cause behind the breathlessness associated with long COVID is unclear which makes developing an effective treatment difficult. Any new knowledge that can guide clinical care of these patients is worthwhile.
The study will recruit patients referred to the department of nuclear medicine at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee for a lung scan. Ninewells is a large teaching hospital with links to the University of Dundee. The study will be conducted for one year.
Participants will be asked to complete a brief questionnaire. Participants will then undergo the ventilation part of a lung scan as per the standard protocol. Additional images will then be acquired for an extra 10 minutes. The additional images allow for measurement of the [99mTc]DTPA aerosol clearance rate from the lungs. The clearance rate is dependent on the alveolar epithelial permeability.
Long COVID and control groups will be determined from referral data and questionnaire answers. Group clearance rates will be compared to evaluate change in membrane permeability.
REC name
North of Scotland Research Ethics Committee 2
REC reference
22/NS/0061
Date of REC Opinion
30 May 2022
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion