Study	Reason for exclusion
Boehme 2011	Diagnostic accuracy study
Buchelli Ramirez 2014	Observational retrospective study focused on diagnostic performance
Chilembo 2020	Observational retrospective study based on tuberculosis registers
Feasey 2013	Diagnostic performance study
Hanrahan 2013	Describes a single group screened with both Xpert MTB/RIF and smear microscopy
Hanrahan 2015	Reviewed retrospective records in health facilities that had implemented Xpert, and those that had not
Kim 2015	Diagnostic accuracy of Xpert MTB/RIF in detecting RMP resistance against the conventional phenotypic DST
Kwak 2013	Primarily a diagnostic study, allocation to group by clinical decision
Lawn 2011	This study assessed the accuracy of the Xpert in diagnosing tuberculosis and drug resistance against the fluorescent smear microscopy
Lebina 2016	The study included household contacts of people recently diagnosed with tuberculosis, whereas our review focused on individuals with suspected tuberculosis.
Lessells 2017	The comparison arm did not use smear microscopy
Mboze 2016	Xpert MTB/RIF test was used as an add‐on test
Metcalfe 2016	There was no comparison group, all participants received Xpert MTB/RIF test, smear microscopy, and cultures
Mwansa‐Kambafwile 2016	All PHC facilities had Xpert machines
O'Grady 2012	All study participants received Xpert MTB/RIF smear microscopy tests; there was no comparison group.
Padayatchi 2016	no smear microscopy strategies as comparison group
Rachow 2011	Evaluated accuracy of Xpert MTB/RIF
Sachdeva 2015	The study did not include our prespecified outcomes of interest
Scott 2010	The study assessed the accuracy of the Xpert against the conventional methods
Theron 2011	Study was designed to assess the accuracy of Xpert test against the conventional methods
Wang 2020	Observational prospective study, focusing on re‐treatment cases

RMP: rifampicin
DST: drug susceptibility testing
PHC: primary healthcare facilities