Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42814683›Full record

ArticlePLOS global public health2026

Sensitivity and specificity of tuberculosis screening tools in people with diabetes.

Neha Janrode, Yohhei Hamada, Arshad Taliep, Lauren Barron, Walter Chabaya, Rene T Goliath, Trinh Duong, Amanda Jackson, Shireen Galant, Nashreen Omar-Davies and 4 more

Abstract read
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Article in PLOS global public health, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed
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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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

14 authors.

Neha JanrodeInstitute for Global Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0008-3931-5460
Yohhei HamadaInstitute for Global Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9845-4267
Arshad TaliepWellcome Discovery Research Platforms for Infection, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine and Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
Lauren BarronWellcome Discovery Research Platforms for Infection, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine and Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
Walter ChabayaWellcome Discovery Research Platforms for Infection, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine and Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0007-2716-7117
Rene T GoliathWellcome Discovery Research Platforms for Infection, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine and Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
Trinh DuongMRC Clinical Trials Unit at UCL, Institute of Clinical Trials and Methodology, London, United Kingdom.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1328-1310
Amanda JacksonWellcome Discovery Research Platforms for Infection, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine and Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
Shireen GalantWellcome Discovery Research Platforms for Infection, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine and Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
Nashreen Omar-DaviesWellcome Discovery Research Platforms for Infection, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine and Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
Louise Lai SaiWellcome Discovery Research Platforms for Infection, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine and Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
Lillian TwentieyWellcome Discovery Research Platforms for Infection, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine and Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
Robert J WilkinsonWellcome Discovery Research Platforms for Infection, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine and Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2753-1800
Molebogeng X RangakaInstitute for Global Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom.

Funding

Wellcome Trust
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Systematic screening for tuberculosis (TB) is recommended in people with diabetes; however, data on the accuracy of screening tools in this population are lacking. We assessed the accuracy of symptom and chest X-ray screening among people with diabetes. We consecutively enrolled adults with diabetes attending routine care in South Africa. All participants underwent symptom screening and chest X-ray. A single sputum specimen was collected from all participants and tested by Xpert Ultra. A positive Xpert Ultra result was used as the reference standard. We enrolled 673 participants. The median age was 54 years (interquartile range 47-60 years), and 63.8% were female. HIV prevalence was 17.2%. Prevalent TB was diagnosed in nine participants (1.33%). Any cough had a sensitivity of 22.2% (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.1-60.0%) and a specificity of 97.5% (95%CI 96.0-98.6%). Expanding the symptom definition to include any of cough, fever, weight loss, or night sweats did not improve sensitivity (22.2%, 95% CI 2.1-60.0) and slightly reduced specificity to 96.0% (95% CI 94.2-97.0). Chest X-ray abnormalities suggestive of TB demonstrated a sensitivity of 55.6% (95%CI 21.2-86.3%) and a specificity of 95.4% (95%CI 93.4-97.0%). The specificity of chest X-ray was significantly lower in participants with prior TB (87.6%, 95% CI: 79.8-90.6%), compared to 97.2% (95% CI: 95.2-98.5%) in those without (p < 0.01). Symptom-based TB screening has poor sensitivity in people with diabetes. Although chest X-ray improved the sensitivity, it remained suboptimal, with a reduced specificity in people with previous TB.

Identifiers

PMID42814683
PMCPMC13626337

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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.