Prospective Analysis of urINe LAM to Eliminate NTM Sputum Screening (PAINLESS) study: Rationale and trial design for testing urine lipoarabinomannan as a marker of NTM lung infection in cystic fibrosis.

<h4>Background</h4>Routine screening for nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) lung disease is dependent on sputum cultures. This is particularly challenging in the cystic fibrosis (CF) population due to reduced sputum production and low culture sensitivity. Biomarkers of infection that do...

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Main Authors: Kara M Calhoun, Emily Armantrout, Katie Poch, Silvia Caceres, Valerie K Lovell, Marion Jones, Kenneth C Malcolm, Brian Vestal, Emily Wheeler, Noel Rysavy, Jordan Manzer, Ibrahim Aboellail, Delphi Chatterjee, Jerry A Nick
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2025-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0309191
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author Kara M Calhoun
Emily Armantrout
Katie Poch
Silvia Caceres
Valerie K Lovell
Marion Jones
Kenneth C Malcolm
Brian Vestal
Emily Wheeler
Noel Rysavy
Jordan Manzer
Ibrahim Aboellail
Delphi Chatterjee
Jerry A Nick
author_facet Kara M Calhoun
Emily Armantrout
Katie Poch
Silvia Caceres
Valerie K Lovell
Marion Jones
Kenneth C Malcolm
Brian Vestal
Emily Wheeler
Noel Rysavy
Jordan Manzer
Ibrahim Aboellail
Delphi Chatterjee
Jerry A Nick
author_sort Kara M Calhoun
collection DOAJ
description <h4>Background</h4>Routine screening for nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) lung disease is dependent on sputum cultures. This is particularly challenging in the cystic fibrosis (CF) population due to reduced sputum production and low culture sensitivity. Biomarkers of infection that do not rely on sputum may lead to earlier diagnosis, but validation trials require a unique prospective design.<h4>Purpose</h4>The rationale of this trial is to investigate the utility of urine lipoarabinomannan (LAM) as a test to identify people with CF with a new positive NTM culture. We hypothesize that urine LAM is a sensitive, non-invasive screening test with a high negative predictive value to identify individuals with a relatively low risk of having positive NTM sputum culture.<h4>Study design</h4>This is a prospective, single-center, non-randomized observational study in adults with CF, 3 years of negative NTM cultures, and no known history of NTM positive cultures. Patients are followed for two year-long observational periods with the primary endpoint being a positive NTM sputum culture within a year of a positive urine LAM result and a secondary endpoint of a positive NTM sputum culture within 3 years of a positive urine LAM result. Study implementation includes remote consent and sample collection to accommodate changes from the COVID-19 pandemic.<h4>Conclusions</h4>This report describes the study design of an observational study aimed at using a urine biomarker to assist in the diagnosis of NTM lung infection in pwCF. If successful, urine LAM could be used as an adjunct to traditional sputum cultures for routine NTM screening, and replace cultures in low-risk individuals unable to produce sputum.
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spelling doaj-art-eb8d4162f6ec407db13803cade59d76f2025-08-20T03:21:47ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032025-01-01203e030919110.1371/journal.pone.0309191Prospective Analysis of urINe LAM to Eliminate NTM Sputum Screening (PAINLESS) study: Rationale and trial design for testing urine lipoarabinomannan as a marker of NTM lung infection in cystic fibrosis.Kara M CalhounEmily ArmantroutKatie PochSilvia CaceresValerie K LovellMarion JonesKenneth C MalcolmBrian VestalEmily WheelerNoel RysavyJordan ManzerIbrahim AboellailDelphi ChatterjeeJerry A Nick<h4>Background</h4>Routine screening for nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) lung disease is dependent on sputum cultures. This is particularly challenging in the cystic fibrosis (CF) population due to reduced sputum production and low culture sensitivity. Biomarkers of infection that do not rely on sputum may lead to earlier diagnosis, but validation trials require a unique prospective design.<h4>Purpose</h4>The rationale of this trial is to investigate the utility of urine lipoarabinomannan (LAM) as a test to identify people with CF with a new positive NTM culture. We hypothesize that urine LAM is a sensitive, non-invasive screening test with a high negative predictive value to identify individuals with a relatively low risk of having positive NTM sputum culture.<h4>Study design</h4>This is a prospective, single-center, non-randomized observational study in adults with CF, 3 years of negative NTM cultures, and no known history of NTM positive cultures. Patients are followed for two year-long observational periods with the primary endpoint being a positive NTM sputum culture within a year of a positive urine LAM result and a secondary endpoint of a positive NTM sputum culture within 3 years of a positive urine LAM result. Study implementation includes remote consent and sample collection to accommodate changes from the COVID-19 pandemic.<h4>Conclusions</h4>This report describes the study design of an observational study aimed at using a urine biomarker to assist in the diagnosis of NTM lung infection in pwCF. If successful, urine LAM could be used as an adjunct to traditional sputum cultures for routine NTM screening, and replace cultures in low-risk individuals unable to produce sputum.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0309191
spellingShingle Kara M Calhoun
Emily Armantrout
Katie Poch
Silvia Caceres
Valerie K Lovell
Marion Jones
Kenneth C Malcolm
Brian Vestal
Emily Wheeler
Noel Rysavy
Jordan Manzer
Ibrahim Aboellail
Delphi Chatterjee
Jerry A Nick
Prospective Analysis of urINe LAM to Eliminate NTM Sputum Screening (PAINLESS) study: Rationale and trial design for testing urine lipoarabinomannan as a marker of NTM lung infection in cystic fibrosis.
PLoS ONE
title Prospective Analysis of urINe LAM to Eliminate NTM Sputum Screening (PAINLESS) study: Rationale and trial design for testing urine lipoarabinomannan as a marker of NTM lung infection in cystic fibrosis.
title_full Prospective Analysis of urINe LAM to Eliminate NTM Sputum Screening (PAINLESS) study: Rationale and trial design for testing urine lipoarabinomannan as a marker of NTM lung infection in cystic fibrosis.
title_fullStr Prospective Analysis of urINe LAM to Eliminate NTM Sputum Screening (PAINLESS) study: Rationale and trial design for testing urine lipoarabinomannan as a marker of NTM lung infection in cystic fibrosis.
title_full_unstemmed Prospective Analysis of urINe LAM to Eliminate NTM Sputum Screening (PAINLESS) study: Rationale and trial design for testing urine lipoarabinomannan as a marker of NTM lung infection in cystic fibrosis.
title_short Prospective Analysis of urINe LAM to Eliminate NTM Sputum Screening (PAINLESS) study: Rationale and trial design for testing urine lipoarabinomannan as a marker of NTM lung infection in cystic fibrosis.
title_sort prospective analysis of urine lam to eliminate ntm sputum screening painless study rationale and trial design for testing urine lipoarabinomannan as a marker of ntm lung infection in cystic fibrosis
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0309191
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