Molecular endotyping in people with bronchiectasis based on response to antibiotic treatment: iBEST study

Culture-independent molecular techniques could potentially be used to measure microbiological efficacy in response to antibiotic treatment and improve understanding of the role of the airway microbiota in determining response in patients with chronic respiratory disease.

Using molecular methods, we analysed changes in the sputum microbiota in samples from 107 participants with bronchiectasis recruited to the iBEST-1 study, and defined community endotypes based on response to tobramycin inhalation powder (TIP) treatment. The relationship between microbiota metrics in these endotypes and clinical and inflammatory biomarkers were also determined.

There was a significant reduction in Pseudomonas aeruginosa density, measured by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), between Days 1 and 29 for participants in the TIP treatment (n=63; p<0.0001) but not placebo (n=20; p>0.05) group. Based on decrease in P. aeruginosa density (oprL copies·mL^-1) over 28 days, two clusters of participants receiving TIP were observed and stratified as either responders (≥2Log₁₀; n=26) or non-responders (<2Log₁₀; n=37). In responders, a shift to a microbial community structure less dominated (p=0.018) by a pathogen was apparent and associated with a greater improvement in inflammatory and fewer participant exacerbations in the following 6 months (27% versus 49%; p=0.117) when compared to non-responders. Lung function was higher at Day 1 in responders (_median=64.6% predicted) than non-responders (μ̃_median=50.3% predicted) and independently predicted response to treatment with TIP (p=0.013).

qPCR may be a useful, culture-independent microbiological efficacy end-point in clinical trials. Using qPCR, participants with bronchiectasis were stratified into endotpyes which predicted response to antimicrobial treatment, potentially allowing for a more personalised approach to therapy.