Table 2.
Predictors of malaria rapid diagnostic test (RDT) sensitivity (RDT positive, expert microscopy positive) in Blantyre, Malawi, 2009
| Sensitivity n/N(%) |
Unadjusted odds ratio (P value) |
Adjusted odd ratio Model 1 (P value) |
Adjusted odds ratio Model 2 (P value) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RDT type | ||||
| Bioline SD | 188/193 (97) | 2.6 (0.17) | 2.9 (0.14) | |
| First response malaria | 185/201 (92) | 1.1 (0.82) | 1.1 (0.84) | |
| Paracheck | 118/130 (91) | 0.8 (0.63) | 0.8 (0.77) | |
| ICT diagnostics | 98/109 (90) | Referent | Referent | |
| Age | ||||
| 5 to ≤ 15 yrs | 369/382 (97) | 4.8 (< 0.001) | 5.1 (< 0.001) | 5.1 (< 0.001) |
| > 15 yrs | 206/237 (87) | Referent | Referent | Referent |
| Temperature | ||||
| ≥ 37.5°C | 281/298 (94) | 2.1 (0.09) | 1.7 (0.23) | 1.7 (0.22) |
| < 37.5°C | 286/310 (92) | Referent | Referent | Referent |
| Geometric mean parasite density | ||||
| ≥ 5000 per μl | 181/193 (94) | 1.1 (0.74) | 0.7 (0.36) | 0.6 (0.32) |
| < 5000 per μl | 408/440 (93) | Referent | Referent | Referent |
| Self-treated with antimalarial in past 2 weeks | ||||
| Yes | 44/51 (86) | 0.9 (0.85) | 1.2 (0.82) | 2.1 (0.38) |
| No | 501/538 (93) | Referent | Referent | Referent |
| RDT performed by: | ||||
| Community health worker | 481/507 (95) | 2.6 (0.03) | 3.1 (0.02) | |
| Laboratory technician | 108/126 (86) | Referent | Referent |
Model 1 assesses RDT type adjusted for patient age, temperature, parasite density, and self-treatment with anti-malarials.
Model 2 assesses RDT test operator (community health worker versus laboratory technician) adjusted for patient age, temperature, parasite density, and self-treatment with anti-malarials.