Evidence map›Paper›PMID 31489088›Full record

ArticleThe Pan African medical journal2019

The effect of sputum quality and volume on the yield of bacteriologically-confirmed TB by Xpert MTB/RIF and smear.

Onani Zimba, Tsaone Tamuhla, Joyce Basotli, Gaoraelwe Letsibogo, Sherri Pals, Unami Mathebula, Anikie Mathoma, Christopher Serumola, Kitso Ramogale, Rosanna Boyd and 7 more

Abstract readComparative Study
In one paragraph

Article in The Pan African medical journal, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. The impact of sputum quality on Xpert positivity in active case-finding for TB.The international journal of tuberculosis and lung disease : the official journal of the International Union against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease · 2024
    Article
  6. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

17 authors.

Onani ZimbaCenters for Disease Control and Prevention, Botswana.
Tsaone TamuhlaBotswana University of Pennsylvania, Botswana.
Joyce BasotliCenters for Disease Control and Prevention, Botswana.
Gaoraelwe LetsibogoNational Tuberculosis Reference Laboratory, Ministry of Health and Wellness, Botswana.
Sherri PalsDivision of Global HIV and Tuberculosis, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America.
Unami MathebulaCenters for Disease Control and Prevention, Botswana.
Anikie MathomaCenters for Disease Control and Prevention, Botswana.
Christopher SerumolaCenters for Disease Control and Prevention, Botswana.
Kitso RamogaleBotswana University of Pennsylvania, Botswana.
Rosanna BoydCenters for Disease Control and Prevention, Botswana.
Tiffany TranCenters for Disease Control and Prevention, Botswana.
Alyssa FinlayCenters for Disease Control and Prevention, Botswana.
Andrew AuldDivision of Global HIV and Tuberculosis, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America.
Anand DateDivision of Global HIV and Tuberculosis, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America.
Heather AlexanderDivision of Global HIV and Tuberculosis, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America.
Violet ChihotaThe Aurum Institute, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Tefera AgizewCenters for Disease Control and Prevention, Botswana.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionThe World Health Organization endorsed (2010) the use of Xpert MTB/RIF and countries are shifting from smear microscopy (smear)-based to Xpert MTB/RIF-based tuberculosis (TB) diagnostic algorithms. As with smear, sputum quality may predict the likelihood of obtaining a bacteriologically-confirmed TB when using Xpert MTB/RIF.

methodsFrom 08/12-11/2014, all people living with HIV were recruited at 22 clinics. For patients screened positive using the four TB symptoms their sputa were tested by Xpert MTB/RIF and smear. Laboratorians assessed and recorded sputum appearance and volume. The yield of bacteriologically-positive sputum evaluated using Xpert MTB/RIF and smear, likelihood-ratios were calculated.

resultsAmong 6,041 patients enrolled 2,296 were presumptive TB, 1,305 (56.8%) had > 1 sputa collected and 644/1,305 (49.3%) had both Xpert MTB/RIF and smear results. Since >1 sputa collected from 644 patients 954 sputa were tested by Xpert MTB/RIF and smear. Bacteriologically-positive sputum was two-fold higher with Xpert MTB/RIF 11.4% versus smear 5.3%, p < 0.001. Sputum appearance and quantity were not predictive of bacteriologically-positive results, except volume of 2ml to < 3ml, tested by Xpert MTB/RIF LR+= 1.26 (95% CI, 1.05-1.50).

conclusionXpert MTB/RIF test yield to bacteriologically-positive sputum was superior to smear. Sputum quality and quantity, however, were not consistently predictive of bacteriologically-positive results by Xpert MTB/RIF or smear.

Indexed as

AdultBacteriological TechniquesFemaleFollow-Up StudiesHumansMaleMicroscopyMolecular Diagnostic TechniquesProspective StudiesSputumTuberculosisBotswanaMolecular diagnostic yieldsputum quality

Identifiers

PMID31489088
PMCPMC6711687

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.