Longitudinal study on lung health in young adults
Official title: The American Lung Association (ALA) Lung Health Cohort
Run by Johns Hopkins University · NCT04543461 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how things like the environment, exercise, and health markers affect lung health in young adults aged 25-35 over the next few years.
Quick facts
| Study type | Observational |
|---|---|
| Ages | 25 Years to 35 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 4000 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Johns Hopkins University Academic / other |
| Locations | 37 sites (Birmingham, Alabama and 36 other locations) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | October 29, 2021 |
| Main results expected | June 30, 2027 |
| Study ends | June 30, 2027 |
| Registry record updated | September 23, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT04543461 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are young adults aged 25-35 who are residents of the U.S. and do not have severe lung disease.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients with severe asthma or other significant lung diseases may not benefit from this study.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
The ALA Lung Health Cohort is a multi-center observational study enrolling around 4,000 young adults aged 25-35 without severe lung disease. The study aims to explore the relationship between various factors such as environmental exposures, physical activity, and biomarkers on lung health. Participants will undergo baseline assessments and receive regular follow-ups over 4.5 years to gather data on their lung health. If additional funding is secured, the study may extend to investigate long-term changes in lung health beyond five years.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this study could help identify early interventions to prevent chronic lung diseases in young adults.
How similar studies have gone: Other studies focusing on lung health in young populations have shown promise, but this specific cohort approach is relatively novel.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
1- Age 25-35 years at the time of the baseline examination 2- Able to read and understand English or Spanish 3 -Has a social security number 4- Resident (citizen or non-citizen) of the United States (US) for at least 12 months prior to examination. Note: Individuals who are residents of the US who have temporarily spent time living outside of the US during the last 12 months (e.g., student exchange program, military posting) are eligible for participation.
5- Willing to provide contact information for at least 2 proxies who are likely to know the whereabouts and vital status of the participant
Exclusion Criteria:
1. Severe asthma, which is defined as any of the following:
1. Current (i.e. at the time of the visit) GINA Step 4 or higher therapy (medium dose ICS/LABA or high dose ICS or add-on LAMA; Medium dose = \>250 fluticasone, propionate =100 fluticasone furoate, \>200 beclomethasone, \>400 budesonide, \>220 mometasone). We will accept low-dose ICS/LABA or medium dose ICS.
OR
2. 3 or more unscheduled healthcare visits (provider/urgent care/ER) for asthma in the past 12 months OR
3. One asthma hospitalization in the past 12 months
2. History of any chronic lung disease other than asthma including but not limited to COPD, cystic fibrosis, pulmonary fibrosis, pulmonary hypertension
3. Current pregnancy
4. History of cancer other than non-melanoma skin cancer
5. Diagnosed cardiovascular diseases (i.e., congenital heart disease, coronary heart disease)
6. Inability to comply with study procedures, including
1. Inability or unwillingness to provide informed consent
2. Inability to perform study measurements
3. Inability to be contacted by phone (via calls and/or text messaging) or email
7. Any condition in the opinion of the physician that puts the participant at risk by participating in the study (e.g., serious respiratory illness requiring antibiotics or steroids or severe fever at the time of the study visit).
8. Institutionalization
Where it's running
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University Of Alabama
Birmingham, Alabama, United States Recruiting -
University of Arizona-Tuscon
Tucson, Arizona, United States Recruiting -
University of California, Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California, United States Recruiting -
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, California, United States Recruiting -
National Jewish Health
Denver, Colorado, United States Recruiting -
Nemours Children's Jacksonville
Jacksonville, Florida, United States Recruiting
Show 31 more locations
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University of Florida, Jacksonville
Jacksonville, Florida, United States Recruiting -
University of Illinois at Chicago
Chicago, Illinois, United States Recruiting -
Northwestern University
Chicago, Illinois, United States Recruiting -
Rush Universtiy
Chicago, Illinois, United States Recruiting -
University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa, United States Recruiting -
University of Kansas
Kansas City, Kansas, United States Recruiting -
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, Maryland, United States Recruiting -
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States Recruiting -
New York Medical College
Hawthorne, New York, United States Recruiting -
Mt. Sinai, NYC
New York, New York, United States Recruiting -
Cornell University
New York, New York, United States Recruiting -
University of Rochester
Rochester, New York, United States Recruiting -
Duke University
Durham, North Carolina, United States Recruiting -
Wake Forest School of Medicine
Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States Recruiting -
Ohio State University
Columbus, Ohio, United States Recruiting -
Temple University
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States Recruiting -
University of Pittsburg-Emphysema/COPD Research Center
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States Recruiting -
Medical University of South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina, United States Recruiting -
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Nashville, Tennessee, United States Recruiting -
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, Texas, United States Recruiting -
University of Vermont
Colchester, Vermont, United States Recruiting -
University of Colorado
Aurora, Colorado, United States Active not recruiting -
University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois, United States Withdrawn -
St. Vincent's Health System
Indianapolis, Indiana, United States Withdrawn -
Brigham and Women's
Boston, Massachusetts, United States Withdrawn -
Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital
Brooklyn, New York, United States Not yet recruiting -
New York University
New York, New York, United States Withdrawn -
Columbia University
New York, New York, United States Not yet recruiting -
University of North Carolina Hospital
Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States Suspended -
University of Washington
Seattle, Washington, United States Not yet recruiting -
University of Wisconsin Madison
Madison, Wisconsin, United States Withdrawn
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Ravi Kalhan, MD — Northwestern University
- Study coordinator: Elizabeth Sugar, PhD
- Email: esugar2@jhu.edu
- Phone: 443-287-3170
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.