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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
Time to Treatment and Patient Outcomes among TB Suspects Screened by a Single Point-of-Care Xpert MTB/RIF at a Primary Care Clinic in Johannesburg, South Africa
PLoS ONE, Volume 8, No. 6, Article e65421, Year 2013
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Description
Introduction:In December 2010, the World Health Organization recommended a single Xpert MTB/RIF assay as the initial diagnostic in people suspected of HIV-associated or drug resistant tuberculosis. Few data are available on the impact of this recommendation on patient outcomes. We describe the diagnostic follow-up, clinical characteristics and outcomes of a cohort of tuberculosis suspects screened using a single point-of-care Xpert.Methods:Consecutive tuberculosis suspects at a primary care clinic in Johannesburg, South Africa were assessed for tuberculosis using point-of-care Xpert. Sputum smear microscopy and liquid culture were performed as reference standards. Xpert-negatives were evaluated clinically, and further assessed at the discretion of clinicians. Participants were followed for six months.Results:From July-September 2011, 641 tuberculosis suspects were enrolled, of whom 69% were HIV-infected. Eight percent were positive by a single Xpert. Among 116 individuals diagnosed with TB, 66 (57%) were Xpert negative, of which 44 (67%) were empirical or radiological diagnoses and 22 (33%) were Xpert negative/culture-positive. The median time to tuberculosis treatment was 0 days (IQR: 0-0) for Xpert positives, 14 days (IQR: 5-35) for those diagnosed empirically, 14 days (IQR: 7-29) for radiological diagnoses, and 144 days (IQR: 28-180) for culture positives. Xpert negative tuberculosis cases were clinically similar to Xpert positives, including HIV status and CD4 count, and had similar treatment outcomes including mortality and time to antiretroviral treatment initiation.Conclusions:In a high HIV-burden setting, a single Xpert identified less than half of those started on tuberculosis treatment, highlighting the complexity of TB diagnosis even in the Xpert era. Xpert at point-of-care resulted in same day treatment initiation in Xpert-positives, but had no impact on tuberculosis treatment outcomes or mortality. © 2013 Hanrahan et al.
Authors & Co-Authors
Hanrahan, Colleen F.
United States, Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Selibas, Katerina
South Africa, Johannesburg
University of the Witwatersrand
Deery, Christopher B.
South Africa, Johannesburg
University of the Witwatersrand
Dansey, Heather
South Africa, Johannesburg
Witkoppen Health and Welfare Centre
Clouse, Kate A.M.
United States, Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
South Africa, Johannesburg
University of the Witwatersrand
Bassett, Jean
South Africa, Johannesburg
Witkoppen Health and Welfare Centre
Scott, Lesley Erica
South Africa, Johannesburg
University of the Witwatersrand
Stevens, Wendy Susan
South Africa, Johannesburg
University of the Witwatersrand
South Africa, Johannesburg
National Health Laboratory Service
Sanne, Ian
South Africa, Johannesburg
University of the Witwatersrand
van Rie, Annelies
United States, Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Statistics
Citations: 82
Authors: 10
Affiliations: 4
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1371/journal.pone.0065421
e-ISSN:
19326203
Research Areas
Health System And Policy
Infectious Diseases
Study Design
Cohort Study
Study Locations
South Africa