Can the Electronic Nose Smell COVID-19 Antibodies?

NCT ID: NCT04475575

Last Updated: 2020-07-17

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

Get a concise snapshot of the trial, including recruitment status, study phase, enrollment targets, and key timeline milestones.

Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

222 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2020-04-06

Study Completion Date

2020-07-01

Brief Summary

Review the sponsor-provided synopsis that highlights what the study is about and why it is being conducted.

Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19), spread worldwide and has become an emergency of major international concern. In March 2020, the WHO declared the COVID-19 outbreak a global pandemic. Accurate and fast diagnosis is crucial in managing the pandemic. Current diagnostic approaches raise several difficulties: they are time-consuming, expensive, invasive, and most important lacking high sensitivity. The gold standard diagnostic test for COVID-19, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), is highly dependent on adequate deep sampling of the swab in the naso- and oropharynx. A new diagnostic test that can correctly and rapidly identify infected patients and asymptomatic carriers is urgently required to prevent further virus transmission and thus reduce mortality rates.

Aim: This proof-of-principle study aims to investigate if an electronic nose (Aeonose) can distinguish individuals with antibodies from individuals without antibodies against COVID-19 based on analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

Methods: between April and July 2020, persons undergoing RT-PCR and a serology test for COVID-19 were recruited at Maastricht UMC+ for breath analysis. All participants had to breathe through the Aeonose for five consecutive minutes. The VOC pattern in their exhaled breath was then linked to the matching RT-PCR and serological test results.

Detailed Description

Dive into the extended narrative that explains the scientific background, objectives, and procedures in greater depth.

Conditions

See the medical conditions and disease areas that this research is targeting or investigating.

SARS-CoV Infection Covid19

Study Design

Understand how the trial is structured, including allocation methods, masking strategies, primary purpose, and other design elements.

Allocation Method

NA

Intervention Model

SINGLE_GROUP

Primary Study Purpose

DIAGNOSTIC

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

Review each arm or cohort in the study, along with the interventions and objectives associated with them.

COVID-19 suspected

Participants where included if an oropharyngeal and nasopharyngeal swab was collected for RT-PCR and serology testing had been performed, or if participants have had a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis in the previous days or weeks with an indication for re-testing via PCR and serology testing at the moment of inclusion

Group Type OTHER

Aeonose

Intervention Type DEVICE

All participants breathed through the Aeonose for five minutes. This device contains metal-oxide sensors that change in conductivity upon reaction with VOCs in exhaled breath. These conductivity changes are input data for machine-learning and used for pattern recognition. A nose clip was placed on the nose of each participant to avoid entry of non-filtered air in the device. Before measuring, the Aeonose was flushed with room air, guided through a carbon filter as well. During each measurement, a video was displayed to distract the participant and to reduce the chance of hyperventilation. Failed breath tests were excluded from analysis; the reason for failure was documented. Four similar Aeonose devices were used for breath analysis. A full-measurement procedure required sixteen minutes.

Interventions

Learn about the drugs, procedures, or behavioral strategies being tested and how they are applied within this trial.

Aeonose

All participants breathed through the Aeonose for five minutes. This device contains metal-oxide sensors that change in conductivity upon reaction with VOCs in exhaled breath. These conductivity changes are input data for machine-learning and used for pattern recognition. A nose clip was placed on the nose of each participant to avoid entry of non-filtered air in the device. Before measuring, the Aeonose was flushed with room air, guided through a carbon filter as well. During each measurement, a video was displayed to distract the participant and to reduce the chance of hyperventilation. Failed breath tests were excluded from analysis; the reason for failure was documented. Four similar Aeonose devices were used for breath analysis. A full-measurement procedure required sixteen minutes.

Intervention Type DEVICE

Eligibility Criteria

Check the participation requirements, including inclusion and exclusion rules, age limits, and whether healthy volunteers are accepted.

Inclusion Criteria

* Participants of whom an oropharyngeal and nasopharyngeal swab was collected for RT-PCR and on whom serology testing for the detection of antibodies was performed.

Exclusion Criteria

* Participants who where experiencing dyspnea or needed supplemental oxygen.
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

Meet the organizations funding or collaborating on the study and learn about their roles.

Maastricht University Medical Center

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

Identify the individual or organization who holds primary responsibility for the study information submitted to regulators.

Nicole Bouvy

Prof. Dr. Nicole D. Bouvy

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

Explore where the study is taking place and check the recruitment status at each participating site.

Maastricht University Medical Center

Maastricht, , Netherlands

Site Status

Countries

Review the countries where the study has at least one active or historical site.

Netherlands

References

Explore related publications, articles, or registry entries linked to this study.

Wu Z, McGoogan JM. Characteristics of and Important Lessons From the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Outbreak in China: Summary of a Report of 72 314 Cases From the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. JAMA. 2020 Apr 7;323(13):1239-1242. doi: 10.1001/jama.2020.2648. No abstract available.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 32091533 (View on PubMed)

de Lacy Costello B, Amann A, Al-Kateb H, Flynn C, Filipiak W, Khalid T, Osborne D, Ratcliffe NM. A review of the volatiles from the healthy human body. J Breath Res. 2014 Mar;8(1):014001. doi: 10.1088/1752-7155/8/1/014001. Epub 2014 Jan 13.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 24421258 (View on PubMed)

Xiang F, Wang X, He X, Peng Z, Yang B, Zhang J, Zhou Q, Ye H, Ma Y, Li H, Wei X, Cai P, Ma WL. Antibody Detection and Dynamic Characteristics in Patients With Coronavirus Disease 2019. Clin Infect Dis. 2020 Nov 5;71(8):1930-1934. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciaa461.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 32306047 (View on PubMed)

Schuermans VNE, Li Z, Jongen ACHM, Wu Z, Shi J, Ji J, Bouvy ND. Pilot Study: Detection of Gastric Cancer From Exhaled Air Analyzed With an Electronic Nose in Chinese Patients. Surg Innov. 2018 Oct;25(5):429-434. doi: 10.1177/1553350618781267. Epub 2018 Jun 18.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 29909757 (View on PubMed)

Bikov A, Lazar Z, Horvath I. Established methodological issues in electronic nose research: how far are we from using these instruments in clinical settings of breath analysis? J Breath Res. 2015 Jun 9;9(3):034001. doi: 10.1088/1752-7155/9/3/034001.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 26056127 (View on PubMed)

Bijland LR, Bomers MK, Smulders YM. Smelling the diagnosis: a review on the use of scent in diagnosing disease. Neth J Med. 2013 Jul-Aug;71(6):300-7.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 23956311 (View on PubMed)

van Geffen WH, Bruins M, Kerstjens HA. Diagnosing viral and bacterial respiratory infections in acute COPD exacerbations by an electronic nose: a pilot study. J Breath Res. 2016 Jun 16;10(3):036001. doi: 10.1088/1752-7155/10/3/036001.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 27310311 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

Review additional registry numbers or institutional identifiers associated with this trial.

eNoseCOVIDantibodies

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

More Related Trials

Additional clinical trials that may be relevant based on similarity analysis.