Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38173845›Full record

ArticleOpen forum infectious diseases2024

Higher Sensitivity of Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra Over Tuberculosis Culture for the Diagnosis of Spinal Tuberculosis With Open or Computed Tomography-Guided Biopsies.

Robyn Waters, Maritz Laubscher, Robert N Dunn, Nawaal Adikary, Anna K Coussens, Michael Held

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Open forum infectious diseases, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
11citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
3.5field-weighted citation impact, top 7% 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

11 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 11 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Diagnostic accuracy of Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra for detecting pulmonary tuberculosis and rifampicin resistance: a systematic review and meta-analysis.European journal of clinical microbiology & infectious diseases : official publication of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology · 2025
    Pooled it
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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

6 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.

Robyn WatersOrthopaedic Research Unit, Division of Orthopaedic Surgery, Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1101-6062
Maritz LaubscherOrthopaedic Research Unit, Division of Orthopaedic Surgery, Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5989-8383
Robert N DunnOrthopaedic Research Unit, Division of Orthopaedic Surgery, Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa.
Nawaal AdikaryMicrobiology Diagnostic Laboratory, National Health Laboratory Service, Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa.
Anna K CoussensCentre for Infectious Disease Research in Africa, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7086-2621
Michael HeldOrthopaedic Research Unit, Division of Orthopaedic Surgery, Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0671-0439
Groote Schuur Hospital · ZAUniversity of Cape Town · ZANational Health Laboratory Service · ZA

Funding

Wellcome Trust
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Diagnostic specimens for spinal tuberculosis (STB) are mostly collected via open surgery. Percutaneous computed tomography (CT)-guided biopsies are used in times of limited surgical availability. However, poor diagnostic accuracy of Methods: We conducted a prospective diagnostic accuracy study of Xpert Ultra, as compared with tuberculosis culture and histopathology, in adults with signs and symptoms of STB at a tertiary academic hospital in South Africa from November 2020 to December 2021. Diagnostic testing was performed on 31 patients with available samples. Results: Xpert Ultra had a sensitivity of 94.7% (95% CI, 75.3%-99.7%) and specificity of 100% (95% CI, 75.7%-100.0%) against a reference standard of Conclusions: Xpert Ultra detected more STB cases than culture for CT-guided biopsy samples. There was also no difference in sensitivity for open biopsies, irrespective of HIV-1 status, making it an important tool for rapid diagnosis, especially during times or in locations where open surgery is not possible or concurrent pulmonary tuberculosis treatment is initiated.

Indexed as

diagnosisMycobacterium tuberculosisspinal tuberculosistuberculosistuberculosis diagnosis

Identifiers

PMID38173845
PMCPMC10759005
OpenAlexW4389426498

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

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.