Hanrahan C.F., Clouse K., Bassett J., Mutunga L., Selibas K., Stevens W., Scott L., Sanne I., Van Rie A.
Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States; Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States; Witkoppen Health and Welfare Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa; Clinical HIV Research Unit, Johannesburg, South Africa; Department of Molecular Medicine and Haematology, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa; Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe St, Baltimore, MD, United States
Hanrahan, C.F., Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe St, Baltimore, MD, United States; Clouse, K., Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States; Bassett, J., Witkoppen Health and Welfare Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa; Mutunga, L., Witkoppen Health and Welfare Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa; Selibas, K., Clinical HIV Research Unit, Johannesburg, South Africa; Stevens, W., Department of Molecular Medicine and Haematology, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa, National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa; Scott, L., National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa; Sanne, I., Clinical HIV Research Unit, Johannesburg, South Africa; Van Rie, A., Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
BACKGROUND: The Xpertw MTB/RIF assay can diagnose tuberculosis (TB) rapidly and with great accuracy. The effect of Xpert placement at point of care (POC) vs. at an off-site laboratory on patient management remains unknown. DESIGN : At a primary care clinic in Johannesburg, South Africa, we compared TB diagnosis and treatment initiation among 1861 individuals evaluated for pulmonary TB using Xpert performed either at POC or offsite. RESULT S : When Xpert was performed at POC, a higher proportion of Xpert-positive individuals started treatment (95% vs. 87%< P = 0.047) and time to treatment initiation was shorter (median 0 vs. 5 days, P < 0.001). In contrast, among Xpert-negative TB cases, a higher proportion (87% vs. 72%< P=0.001) started treatment when the sample was sent to the laboratory, with a shorter time to treatment (median 9 vs. 13 days, P = 0.056). While the overall proportion of presumed TB patients starting treatment was independent of Xpert placement, the proportion started based on a bacteriologically confirmed diagnosis was higher when Xpert was performed at POC (73% vs. 58% < P = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: Placement of Xpert at POC resulted in more Xpert-positive patients receiving treatment, but did not increase the total number of presumed TB patients starting treatment. When samples were sent to a laboratory for Xpert testing, empiric decision making increased. © 2015 The Union.