Treatment decision algorithms for tuberculosis screening and diagnosis in children below 5 years hospitalised with severe acute malnutrition: a cost-effectiveness analysis.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Children with severe acute malnutrition (SAM) are an important risk group for underdiagnosis and death from tuberculosis. In 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended use of treatment decision algorithms (TDAs) for tuberculosis diagnosis in children. There is currently no cost-effectiveness evidence for TDA-based approaches compared to routine practice.

Methods

The TB-Speed SAM study developed i) a one-step TDA including Xpert, clinical, radiological and echography features, and ii) a two-step TDA, which also included a screening phase, for children under 5 years hospitalised with SAM at three tertiary hospitals in Uganda and Zambia from 4th November 2019 to 20th June 2022. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04240990. We assessed the

SUBMITTER: d'Elbee M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12033959 | biostudies-literature | 2025 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature