Can the Electronic Nose Smell COVID-19?

Covid19 Clinical Trial

Official title: Can the Electronic Nose Smell COVID-19? A Proof-of-principle Study

Status Completed

Clinical Trial Summary

Infection with SARS-CoV-2 causes Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19). The most standard diagnostic method is reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) on a nasopharyngeal and/or an oropharyngeal swab. The high occurrence of false-negative results due to the non-presence of SARS-CoV-2 in the oropharyngeal environment renders this sampling method not ideal. Therefore, a new sampling device is desirable. This proof-of-principle study investigates the possibility to train machine-learning classifiers with an electronic nose (Aeonose) to differentiate between COVID-19 positive- and negative persons based on volatile organic compounds (VOCs) analysis.

Methods: between April and June 2020, participants were invited for breath analysis when a swab for RT-PCR was collected. If the RT-PCR resulted negative, presence of SARS-CoV-2 specific antibodies was checked to confirm the negative result. 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. The result is a value between -1 and +1, indicating the infection probability.

Clinical Trial Description

n/a

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Coronavirus Infections
• Covid19
• SARS-CoV Infection
• Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome

• NCT number: NCT04475562
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: Maastricht University Medical Center
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: April 6, 2020
• Completion date: July 1, 2020