TABLE 2.
Clinical characteristics and TB investigations among participants with an Xpert Ultra “trace call” result
| All trace read results (n = 37) | HIV-positive | HIV-negative | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| |||||
| No prior TB (n = 11) | Prior TB (n = 6) | No prior TB (n = 18) | Prior TB (n = 2)* | ||
| Age, years, median [IQR] | 35 [26–46) | 40 [32–47] | 40.5 [31–47] | 28.5 [24–42] | 44.5 [40–49] |
| Male sex | 24 (64.0) | 7 (63.6) | 5 (83.3) | 11 (61.1) | 1 (50.0) |
| CD4 count, cells/mm3, median [IQR] | 325 [191–403] | 325 [191–403] | 287 [173–489] | — | — |
| TB symptoms | |||||
| Cough | 25 (67.6) | 9(81.0) | 5 (83.3) | 9 (50.0) | 2 (100) |
| Fever | 6 (16.2) | 3(27.3) | 1 (16.7) | 2 (11.1) | 0 |
| Night sweats | 10 (27.0) | 2 (18.2) | 3 (50.0) | 5 (27.8) | 0 |
| Weight loss | 11 (29.7) | 4 (36.4) | 4 (66.7) | 3 (16.7) | 0 |
| Chest pain | 24 (64.9) | 7 (63.6) | 4 (66.7) | 11 (61.1) | 2 (100) |
| Shortness of breath | 14 (37.8) | 5 (45.5) | 3 (50.0) | 6 (33.3) | 0 |
| Number of WHO TB symptoms† | |||||
| 0‡ | 9 (24.3) | 2 (18.2) | 7 (38.9) | ||
| 1 | 12 (32.4) | 9 (81.8) | 6 (100) | 6 (33.3) | 2 (100) |
| 2 | 5 (13.5) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | 9 (24.3) | 0 | 0 | 4 (22.2) | 0 |
| 4 | 2 (5.4) | 0 | 0 | 1 (5.6) | 0 |
| dCXR | |||||
| Abnormal | 21 (56.8) | 6 (54.6 | 5 (83.3 | 8 (44.4) | 2 (100) |
| Normal | 13 (35.1)* | 4 (36.6) | 1 (16.8) | 8 (44.4) | |
| C-reactive protein, mg/mL | |||||
| <10 | 10 (27.0) | 1 (9.1) | 1 (16.7) | 7 (38.9) | 1 (50.0) |
| 10–40 | 7 (18.9) | 2 (18.2) | 1 (16.7) | 4 (22.2) | 0 |
| 40–80 | 5 (13.5) | 2 (18.2) | 1 (16.7) | 2 (11.1) | 0 |
| >80 | 15 (40.5) | 6 (54.5) | 3 (50.0) | 5 (27.8) | 1 (50.0) |
| Smear results | |||||
| Positive | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Negative | 37 (100) | 11 (100) | 6 (100) | 18 (100) | 2 (100) |
| Culture results | |||||
| Positive | 3 (8.1) | 1 (9.1) | 0 | 2 (11.1) | 0 |
| Negative | 34 (91.9) | 10 (90.9) | 6 (100) | 16 (88.9) | 2 (100) |
*Participants with prior TB treated in 2016 (2 years before study entry) and 2014 (4 years before study entry). Such patients would not be recommended under current WHO guidelines6 to receive anti-TB therapy as they had been treated for TB in the previous 5 years.
†3 participants did not have a valid dCXR result available.
‡Of the 9 participants with a negative WHO symptom screen, 4 were presumptive TB patients on the basis of current chest pain and 5 were presumptive TB patients on the basis of an abnormal dCXR.
IQR = interquartile range; dCXR = digital chest X-ray.