Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34048497›Full record

ArticlePloS one2021

Evaluation of an Aspergillus IgG/IgM lateral flow assay for serodiagnosis of fungal asthma in Uganda.

Richard Kwizera, Felix Bongomin, Ronald Olum, William Worodria, Freddie Bwanga, David B Meya, Bruce J Kirenga, Robin Gore, David W Denning, Stephen J Fowler

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed
1.3field-weighted citation impact, top 20% of its field
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

7 citing papers in PubMed, 14 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Trial
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  3. The diagnostic value of combinedFrontiers in medicine · 2025
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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

10 authors at 6 institutions in 2 countries.

Richard KwizeraInfectious Diseases Institute, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.ORCID 0000-0002-5270-3539
Felix BongominDepartment of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Gulu University, Gulu, Uganda.
Ronald OlumDepartment of Medicine, School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.ORCID 0000-0003-1289-0111
William WorodriaDepartment of Medicine, School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.
Freddie BwangaDepartment of Medical Microbiology, School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.
David B MeyaInfectious Diseases Institute, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.
Bruce J KirengaMakerere University Lung Institute, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.
Robin GoreCambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
David W DenningDivision of Infection, Immunity and Respiratory Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom.ORCID 0000-0001-5626-2251
Stephen J FowlerDivision of Infection, Immunity and Respiratory Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom.
Infectious Diseases Institute · UGMakerere University · UGMulago Hospital · UGUniversity of Manchester · GBCambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust · GBGulu University · UG

Funding

Wellcome TrustWellcome Trust 107742/Z/15/Z
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundDiagnosis of fungal allergies in asthma remains problematic in low-and middle-income countries due to non-availability of point-of-care testing. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the performance of an Aspergillus immunochromatographic technology (ICT) IgG/M lateral flow device (LFD) for the serological diagnosis of allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) and severe asthma with fungal sensitisation (SAFS) among Ugandan adult asthmatics.

methods374 adult (aged ≥18years) asthmatics in the African Severe Asthma Program study, Ugandan site constituted the study population. ABPA and SAFS were diagnosed according to standard criteria. Asthmatics who did not meet the above criteria constituted a control group. The LFD tests were performed and read according to manufacturer's instructions.

resultsABPA was found in 12/374 (3.2%) and SAFS in 60/374 (16%) participants. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) for the Aspergillus ICT for the diagnosis of ABPA were 0.0%, 96.4%, 0.0% and 96.7% respectively, and for SAFS 6.7%, 97.1%, 30.8% and 84.5% respectively. False positive and negative rates were 3.5% and 3.2% for ABPA and 2.4% and 14.9% for SAFS, respectively. Patients with a positive LFD significantly had higher median Aspergillus fumigatus-specific IgE levels compared to those with negative LFD (median: 0.06 kUA/l VS 0.03 kUA/L, P = 0.011).

conclusionThe Aspergillus ICT IgG/M LFD had a poor diagnostic performance for the diagnosis of both ABPA and SAFS. Its greatest value may be in distinguishing chronic and allergic aspergillosis in Africa.

Indexed as

AdultAntibodies, FungalArea Under CurveAspergillosis, Allergic BronchopulmonaryAspergillus fumigatusCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansImmunoassayImmunoglobulin EImmunoglobulin GMaleMiddle AgedROC CurveUgandaYoung AdultAntibodies, FungalImmunoglobulin EImmunoglobulin G

Identifiers

PMID34048497
PMCPMC8162618
OpenAlexW3165057516

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

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.