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. 2020 Aug 27;2020(8):CD013359. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD013359.pub2

Causse 2011.

Study characteristics
Patient Sampling Cross‐sectional, consecutive, prospective
Patient characteristics and setting Presenting signs and symptoms: presumptive tuberculosis
Age, months: mean 43
Sex, female: not reported
HIV infection: 0%
Sample size included for analysis: 44
Clinical setting: not reported
Laboratory level where index test was performed: central
Country: Spain
World Bank income classification: high income
High TB burden country: no
High TB/HIV burden country: no
High MDR‐TB burden country: no
Prevalence of tuberculosis cases in the study: not reported
Index tests Xpert MTB/RIF
Target condition and reference standard(s) Pulmonary TB; tuberculous meningitis
Liquid culture (Middlebrook)
Flow and timing Index and reference tests were collected simultaneously
Comparative  
Notes It is unclear whether those interpreting the reference test were blinded to results of the index test
Methodological quality
Item Authors' judgement Risk of bias Applicability concerns
DOMAIN 1: Patient Selection
Was a consecutive or random sample of patients enrolled? Yes    
Did the study avoid inappropriate exclusions? Yes    
Could the selection of patients have introduced bias?   Low risk  
Are there concerns that the included patients and setting do not match the review question?     Unclear
DOMAIN 2: Index Test (Xpert MTB/RIF)
Were the index test results interpreted without knowledge of the results of the reference standard? Yes    
If a threshold was used, was it pre‐specified? Yes    
Could the conduct or interpretation of the index test have introduced bias?   Low risk  
Are there concerns that the index test, its conduct, or interpretation differ from the review question?     Low concern
DOMAIN 2: Index Test (Xpert Ultra)
DOMAIN 3: Reference Standard
Is the reference standards likely to correctly classify the target condition? Yes    
Were the reference standard results interpreted without knowledge of the results of the index tests? Unclear    
Could the reference standard, its conduct, or its interpretation have introduced bias?   Unclear risk  
Are there concerns that the target condition as defined by the reference standard does not match the question?     Low concern
DOMAIN 4: Flow and Timing
Was there an appropriate interval between index test and reference standard? Yes    
Did all patients receive the same reference standard? Yes    
Were all patients included in the analysis? Yes    
Could the patient flow have introduced bias?   Low risk