Research priorities in pleural disease: study protocol for a joint patient–provider Delphi consensus statement

Introduction
There is a wide global variation in research priorities and current clinical practise among pleural medicine practitioners. Research performed today will inform future clinical practice, but the patient’s voices are often not heard in setting the research agenda. The International Multicentre Pleural Research Collaborative (IMPACT) European Respiratory Society (ERS) Clinical Research Collaboration (CRC) aims to present a consensus document from both pleural disease experts and patients, which will guide pleural disease research in the immediate future. The objective is to ensure a focus on scientifically valid, clinically meaningful and patient-centred pleural disease research with global relevance.

Methods and analysis
The core working group will collate a list of previously identified research questions in the key topics in pleural disease: pleural infection, pleural malignancy, pneumothorax, pleural mesothelioma and non-malignant pleural effusions. These questions will be ranked in importance (based on a judgement of scientific merit, significance, innovation, relevance and feasibility) using a Delphi method, by a panel of pleural disease experts. The questions which reach consensus will be subject to a Delphi method survey of patients. The patient-modified list will be discussed in a consensus group meeting involving both experts and patients, who will produce the final prioritised list of research questions.

Ethics and dissemination
Ethical approval will be waived for the active involvement of patients as either advisors or participants in questionnaires. The results will be reported in the form of a peer-reviewed publication with an open access license, according to the ACCORD (ACcurate COnsensus Reporting Document) guidelines for consensus-based research.