Bronchoscopic evaluation of the Eosinophilic Airway Microbiome (BEAM)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Bronchoscopic evaluation of the Eosinophilic Airway Microbiome (BEAM)
IRAS ID
215130
Contact name
Andrew Menzies-Gow
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Imperial College London
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
Eosinophils are a subset of white blood cells. A high level of eosinophils (i.e. eosinophilia) is a cardinal feature of Chronic Eosinophilic Pneumonia (CEP), a condition characterised by recurrent episodes of fever and cough, often requiring long term steroid treatment.
Eosinophilia is a feature of other eosinophilic lung diseases (ELDs) such as eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (Churg Strauss Syndrome), allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA), fungal and parasitic infections. Eosinophilia is also a key pathological feature of asthma, in particular in a subgroup known as severe eosinophilic asthma.
In recent years, efforts have been made to characterise the bacterial and fungal communities living within the lungs (known as the lung microbiome) in both health and disease. The lung microbiome of asthmatic patients has been shown to differ significantly from that of healthy volunteers.
Our aim is to characterise the microbiomes of patients with Chronic Eosinophilic Pneumonia and other ELDs, and compare them to the microbiomes of healthy volunteers. We also wish to measure eosinophil activation.
We aim to recruit 10 patients with CEP, 10 with other ELDs and 10 healthy controls. After written consent, three questionnaires will be completed, blood tests (including tests of eosinophil activation) and breathing tests (spirometry and fractional exhaled nitric oxide) will be performed.
Then a bronchoscopy (camera test into the lungs) will be performed. Washings and tissue samples (brushings and biopsies) will be taken to check for micro-organisms (both bacteria and fungi) and levels of tissue eosinophilia.
It is expected that the patients with CEP/ other ELDs will have different types and quantities of micro-organisms living in their lungs compared to controls. Comparing the microbiomes of patients with CEP/ other ELDs to those of asthmatic patients (published previously) may highlight similarities between the groups, indicating that eosinophilia is directly linked to characteristic disturbances of the healthy lung microbiome.
REC name
London - Brent Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/LO/0288
Date of REC Opinion
7 Apr 2017
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion