The clinical utility of Xpert® MTB/RIF testing in induced sputum

Int J Tuberc Lung Dis. 2016 Dec 1;20(12):1668-1670. doi: 10.5588/ijtld.16.0123.

Abstract

We performed a prospective clinical audit in hospitalised patients with suspected pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) with the objective of evaluating the accuracy and clinical utility of Xpert® MTB/RIF in induced sputum in an intermediate-burden setting. Of 450 patients audited, 61 (13.6%) were diagnosed with PTB based on positive culture. The sensitivity, specificity and positive and negative predictive values for Xpert in smear-negative cases for induced sputum were respectively 75%, 99.5%, 94.7% and 97.0%. Xpert in induced sputum may facilitate diagnostic yield and expedite treatment in up to a quarter of PTB patients.

Publication types

  • Observational Study

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Clinical Audit*
  • Humans
  • Molecular Diagnostic Techniques*
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / isolation & purification
  • Prevalence
  • Prospective Studies
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Singapore
  • Sputum / microbiology*
  • Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / diagnosis*