Completed Lungs & Breathing NIHR-supported project Public Health & Healthcare

A pilot study to characterise patients attending a community setting (LHC) as a potential pathway to identify patients for COPD trials

Funder NIHR (part of DHSC)
Recipient organisation NIHR Wellcome Trust Manchester Clinical Research Facility
NIHR support Recorded as supported by this research centre
Period Feb 2025 — Feb 2026

In plain English

AI plain-English summary

A targeted lung health check in Manchester could become a gateway for identifying people with undiagnosed COPD and recruiting them into clinical trials. COPD is the UK’s fifth biggest killer, yet it is often diagnosed late, after symptoms have already driven up hospital visits and costs. Manchester has the second highest admission rate for COPD in England, costing £16 million per year. The lung health check programme (LHC) already screens high-risk people, but spirometry—a key test for diagnosing COPD—was paused during the pandemic and has not restarted. Published research suggests 10–20% of LHC attendees have undiagnosed airflow obstruction, representing a pool of potential trial participants who are currently missed. If this pilot succeeds, it would create a direct pathway from a community screening programme into research clinics. Patients would receive an accurate COPD diagnosis and optimised management, and could then be consented for future studies. That would accelerate recruitment into trials testing new treatments for exacerbations and disease progression—without requiring patients to be identified later in hospital. The impact is on clinical trial infrastructure: faster, more efficient enrolment from a setting where patients are already engaged.

View original technical description
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the 5th biggest killer in the UK. It is characterised by chronic inflammation and punctuated by acute episodes of deterioration. These exacerbations are major contributors to increased morbidity and mortality in COPD. Despite its impact, COPD is often diagnosed late. Such patients report greater healthcare utilisation due to the greater impact of adverse symptoms. Manchester city region has the second highest admission rate for COPD in England, costing £16 million per year. In this setting, identification of potential research participants remains challenging. The targeted lung health check program (LHC) presents a potential opportunity for identification of undiagnosed COPD, as well as providing a window to engage with patients about the opportunities and potential benefits of participating in clinical research. Spirometry is a key criteria for screening into respiratory studies. Previously undertaken in Manchester as part of LHC, it was stopped during the Covid-19 pandemic. It has yet to be restarted, mainly due to inconsistency of onward management pathways. Published research suggests 10-20% of patients undergoing LHC have undiagnosed airflow obstruction. We propose cohorting such patients into research clinics, accurately diagnosing COPD and optimising management, enabling us to consent to future COPD studies.

Researchers

Thapas Nagarajan (Principal Investigator)

Related Research

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C-FIND COPD A Pilot Study
A pilot study to assess the prevalence and characteristics of emphysematous lung change in patients with symptoms of COPD and normal spirometry
COPD Case Finding In Nottingham and District: C-FIND COPD A Pilot study
COPE: Characterisation of COPD Exacerbations using Environmental Exposure Modelling
The British Early (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) COPD Network cohort (BEACON)

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