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. 2017 Jul 25;55(8):2491–2501. doi: 10.1128/JCM.00289-17

TABLE 2.

Molecular assay performance compared with reference testing for the diagnosis of TBa

Performance measurement Percentage (95% CI) for tests performed on:
Pellets (SOC)
Sputa (direct)
Pellets
Sputum 3
Sputum 1 (SOC)
Sputum 2
Sputum 4
Sputum 3
Smear microscopy MGIT culture Xpert MTB/RIF, visit 1 Abbott RealTime MTB assay, visit 1 Abbott RealTime MTB assay, visit 2 Xpert MTB/RIF, visit 2 Abbott RealTime MTB assay, visit 2
Comparison with MGIT culture (n = 193)
    Sensitivity 43.5 (31.7–56.7) 79.0 (66.8–88.3) 83.9 (72.3–92.0) 88.7 (78.1–95.3) 91.9 (82.2–97.3) 85.5 (74.2–93.1)
    Specificity 98.5 (94.6–99.8) 96.9 (92.4–99.2) 92.3 (86.3–96.2) 94.6 (89.2–97.8) 97.7 (93.5–99.5) 92.4 (86.4–96.3)
    PPV 93.1 (77.2–99.2) 92.5 (81.8–97.9) 83.9 (72.3–92.0) 88.7 (78.1–95.3) 95.0 (86.1–99.0) 84.1 (7278–92.1)
    NPV 78.7 (71.6–84.7) 90.7 (84.6–95.0) 92.3 (86.3–96.2) 94.6 (89.2–97.8) 96.2 (91.4–98.8) 93.1 (87.3–96.8)
Comparison with MGIT culture (HIV-positive cohort only) (n = 142)$
    Sensitivity 37.5 (22.7–54.2) 70.0 (53.5–83.4) 75.0 (58.8–87.3) 82.5 (67.2–92.7) 87.5 (73.2–95.8) 77.5 (61.5–89.2)
    Specificity 98.0 (93.1–99.8) 96.1 (90.3–98.9) 93.1 (86.2–97.2) 95.1 (88.9–98.4) 97.1 (91.6–99.4) 93.1 (86.4–97.2)
    PPV 88.2 (63.6–98.5) 87.5 (71.0–96.5) 81.1 (64.8–92.0) 86.8 (71.9–95.6) 92.1 (78.6–98.3) 81.6 (65.7–92.3)
    NPV 80.0 (71.9–86.6) 89.1 (81.7–94.2) 90.4 (83.0–95.3) 93.3 (86.6–97.3) 95.2 (89.1–98.4) 91.3 (84.2–96.0)
Comparison with MGIT culture (HIV-negative cohort only) (n = 44)$
    Sensitivity 55.0 (31.5–76.9) 95 (75.1–99.9) 100 (83.2–100) 100 (83.2–100) 100 (83.2–100) 100 (83.2–100)
    Specificity 100 (86.3–100) 100 (86.3–100) 92.0 (74.0–99.0) 91.7 (73.0–99.0) 100 (86.3–100) 88.0 (68.8–97.5)
    PPV 100 (71.5–100) 100 (82.4–100) 90.9 (70.8–98.9) 90.9 (70.8–98.9) 100 (83.2–100) 87.0 (66.4–97.2)
    NPV 73.5 (55.6–87.1) 96.2 (80.4–99.9) 100 (85.2–100) 100 (84.6–100) 100 (86.3–100) 100 (84.6–100)
Comparison with clinical case definition# (Any TB including definite, possible, probable TB) (n = 202)
    Sensitivity 31.6 (22.4–41.9) 74.7 (63.9–83.6) 62.8 (52.2–72.5) 61.7* (51.1–71.5) 64.9 (54.4–74.5) 67 (56.6–76.4) 66 (55.5–75.4)
    Specificity 100 (96.6–100) 100 (96.5–100) 100 (96.6–100) 95.3* (89.4–98.5) 95.3 (89.4–98.5) 100 (96.6–100) 94.4 (88.3–97.9)
    PPV 100 (88.4–100) 100 (94.2–100) 100 (93.9–100) 92.1* (82.4–97.4) 92.4 (83.2–97.5) 100 (94.3–100) 91.2 (81.8–96.7)
    NPV 62.4 (54.8–69.7) 83.1 (75.2–89.2) 75.5 (67.6–82.3) 73.9* (65.8–81.0) 75.6 (67.4–82.5) 77.7 (69.9–84.3) 76.1 (68.0–83.1)
a

*, test not done (n = 1); $, of the 193 MGIT results, there were 7 patients with an unknown HIV status, and these were excluded from the HIV stratification; #, reported to minimize differences between specimen collection and testing due to limited volume and SOC, return visits, and potential use of antibiotics.