Feasibility of home urogenital microbiome specimen collection is unknown.
This study aimed to evaluate successful sample collection rates from home and clinical research centers.
Adult women participants enrolled in a multicentered cohort study were recruited to an in-person research center evaluation, including self-collected urogenital samples. A nested feasibility substudy evaluated home biospecimen collection prior to the scheduled in-person evaluation using a home collection kit with written instructions, sample collection supplies, and a Peezy™ urine collection device. Participants self-collected samples at home and shipped them to a central laboratory 1 day prior to and the day of the in-person evaluation. We defined successful collection as receipt of at least one urine specimen that was visibly viable for sequencing.
Of 156 participants invited to the feasibility substudy, 134 were enrolled and sent collection kits with 89% (119/134) returning at least 1 home urine specimen; the laboratory determined that 79% (106/134) of these urine samples were visually viable for analysis. The laboratory received self-collected urine from the research center visit in 97% (115/119); 76% (91/119) were visually viable for sequencing. Among 401 women who did not participate in the feasibility home collection substudy, 98% (394/401) self-collected urine at the research center with 80% (321/401) returned and visibly viable for sequencing.
Home collection of urogenital microbiome samples for research is feasible, with comparable success to clinical research center collection. Sample size adjustment should plan for technical and logistical difficulties, regardless of specimen collection site.
Urogynecology (Philadelphia, Pa.). 2024 Jul 03 [Epub ahead of print]
Emily S Lukacz, Cynthia S Fok, MacKenzie Bryant, Dulce P Rodriguez-Ponciano, Melanie R Meister, Margaret G Mueller, Cora E Lewis, Jerry L Lowder, Ariana L Smith, Ann Stapleton, Amy Ayala, Ratna Pakpahan, Sarah Hortsch, Daniel McDonald, Sara Putnam, Kyle Rudser, Se Jin Song, Rob Knight, Linda Brubaker, PLUS Research Consortium
From the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, UC San Diego School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA., Department of Urology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN., Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA., Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Kansas, Kansas City, KS., Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pritzker School of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL., Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL., Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University, St. Louis, MO., Perelman School of Medicine, Division of Urology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA., Department of Medicine, Division of Allergy and Infectious Disease, University of Washington, Seattle, WA., Department of Surgery, Washington University, St. Louis, MO., University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI., Division of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN.