| Literature DB >> 33951082 |
Birgit Schramm1, Rodrigue C Nganaboy2, Piex Uwiragiye2, Didier Mukeba3, Aboubacar Abdoubara2, Illa Abdou4, Jean-Claude Nshimiymana2, Seyni Sounna2, Laurent Hiffler5, Laurence Flevaud3, Helena Huerga1.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis (TB) is a serious co-morbidity among children with severe acute malnutrition (SAM) and TB diagnosis remains particularly challenging in the very young. We explored whether, in a low HIV-prevalence setting, the detection of mycobacterial lipoarabinomannan (LAM) antigen in urine may assist TB diagnosis in SAM children, a pediatric population currently not included in LAM-testing recommendations. To that end, we assessed LAM test-positivity among SAM children with and without signs or symptoms of TB.Entities:
Year: 2021 PMID: 33951082 PMCID: PMC8099085 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0250933
Source DB: PubMed Journal: PLoS One ISSN: 1932-6203 Impact factor: 3.240
Demographic and clinical characteristics at study inclusion.
| Group 1 with signs/symptoms suggestive of TB | Group 2 (control) | P | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total, N (%) | 102 | 100 | |
| Female, N (%) | 52 (51.0) | 30 (30.0) | 0.002 |
| Age, months, median [IQR] | 19 (11, 24) | 15.5 (10, 24) | 0.155 |
| Infant (<48 months) | 98 (96.1) | 98 (98.0) | 0.421 |
| HIV-positive per rapid test | 2/100 (2.0) | 0 | 1.0 |
| In-patient unit | <0.001 | ||
| Admission | 1 (1.0) | 0 | |
| Stabilization or pre-discharge units | 17 (16.7) | 100 (100) | |
| Intensive care unit | 81 (79.4) | 0 | |
| | 3 (2.9) | 0 | |
| Inclusion, days after admission, median [IQR] | 6 (3, 10) | 3 (2, 5) | <0.001 |
| Signs of SAM | |||
| Z-score 3 or 4 | 93 (93.0) | 93 (93.0) | 0.528 |
| MUAC <115 mm | 75 (73.5) | 65 (65.0) | 0.189 |
| Bilateral oedema | 7 (6.9) | 12 (12.0) | 0.211 |
| Respiratory exam | |||
| Anomalies during auscultation | 77 (75.5) | 9 (9.0) | <0.001 |
| Tachypnoea | 48 (47.1) | 1 (1.0) | <0.001 |
| Cyanosis | 2 (2.0) | 0 (0) | 0.498 |
| Hypoxemia (SaO2 <90%) | 7 (6.9) | 0 (0) | 0.014 |
| Flapping of the wings of the nose | 20 (19.6) | 0 (0) | <0.001 |
| Intercostal retraction | 62 (60.8) | 1 (1.0) | <0.001 |
| Moans and feeds with difficulty | 23 (22.6) | 0 (0) | <0.001 |
| Fever and increased respiratory rate | 49 (48.0) | 1 (1.0) | <0.001 |
| Fever and increased heart rate | 39 (38.2) | 1 (1.0) | <0.001 |
| Weight loss or lack of weight gain | 34 (33.3) | 3 (3.0) | <0.001 |
| Lymphadenopathy (without fistulae) | 6 (5.9) | 0 (0) | 0.029 |
| Distended abdomen with ascites | 4 (4.0) | 0 (0) | 0.121 |
*n = 2 HIV-test results missing and n = 1 discordant (unresolved) in Group 1.
Signs and symptoms of TB at inclusion and TB diagnosis in Group 1.
| Total, N (%) | 102 |
|---|---|
| Children included with signs or symptoms of TB | 5 (4.9) |
| Reported contact of a TB case | 2/5 (40.0) |
| Persistent cough for > 2 weeks | 5/5 (100) |
| Unexplained fever for > 1 week | 4/5 (80.0) |
| Extrapulmonary TB (EPTB) suspected | 0 |
| Children included with signs or symptoms of TB | 97 (95.1) |
| Reported contact of TB case | 13/97 (13.4) |
| Poor weight gain despite correct nutritional treatment | 47/97 (48.5) |
| Persistence of cough | 65/97 (67.0) |
| Persistent pneumonia after adequate antibiotic therapy | 67/97 (69.1) |
| Persistent fever >1 week after exclusion of malaria or pneumonia | 45/97 (46.4) |
| Persistent or worsening of fatigue | 45/97 (46.4) |
| Signs or symptoms indicative of Extra-Pulmonary Tuberculosis (EPTB) | 10/97 (10.3) |
| Chest X-ray suggestive of TB | 11/97 (11.3) |
| | 5/97 (5.2) |
| Programmatic diagnosis of TB | |
| Total Chest X-ray performed | 43 (42.2) |
| Normal | 0 |
| Suggestive of TB | 24/43 (55.8) |
| Abnormal/not TB | 19/43 (44.2) |
| Diagnostic specimens collected | 6 (6.1) |
| Sputum | 0 |
| Nasopharyngeal aspiration | 5/6 (83.3) |
| Gastric aspiration | 1/6 (16.6) |
| Xpert MTB tests performed | 7 (6.9) |
| MTB detected | 2/7 (28.6) |
| MTB not detected | 5/7 (71.4) |
| Smear Microscopy performed | 0 |
| | |
| Hospitalization outcomes | |
| Transferred to ambulatory feeding center | 81 (79.4) |
| Died | 20 (19.6) |
| Lost to follow up | 1 (1.0) |
* N = 11 children had X-ray available at study inclusion (later, N = 31 received an X-ray after inclusion).
** Combined chest-X-ray before or after inclusion.
Fig 1Diagnostic characteristics of 22 children started on TB treatment.
TB LAM test results by study group.
| Group 1 | Group 2 (control) | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| with signs/symptoms suggestive of TB | |||
| N (%) | 102 | 100 | P |
| LAM-negative | 49 (48.1) | 63 (63.0) | |
| LAM-positive (any grade) | 53 (52.0) (95% CI: 27.9, 47.9) | 37 (37.0) (95% CI: 26.6, 46.2) | 0.032 |
| Grade 1 | 38 (37.3) | 36 (36.0) | 0.854 |
| Grade 2 | 11 (10.8) | 1 (1.0) | |
| Grade 3 | 4 (3.9) | 0 | |
| Grade 4 | 0 | 0 | |
| LAM positive Grade > 1 | 15 (14.7) (95%CI: 8.5, 23.1) | 1 (1.0) (95%CI: 0.003, 5.4) | <0.001 |
* Two-sample test of proportions.
TB LAM test results by TB symptoms and/or started on TB-treatment.
| Probable TB (started on TB-treatment in Group 1) | Unlikely TB (Group 2) | |
|---|---|---|
| N = 22 | N = 100 | |
| LAM positive > Grade 1 | 5 | 1 |
| LAM-negative or Grade 1 positive | 17 | 99 |
| Positive detection yield | 22.7% (95%CI 7.8, 45.4) | - |
| Negative detection yield | - | 99.0% (95%CI 94.6, 99.9) |