Accuracy and consequences of using <i>trial-of-antibiotics</i> for TB diagnosis (ACT-TB study): protocol for a randomised controlled clinical trial.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Over 40% of global tuberculosis case notifications are diagnosed clinically without mycobacteriological confirmation. Standard diagnostic algorithms include 'trial-of-antibiotics'-empirical antibiotic treatment given to mycobacteriology-negative individuals to treat infectious causes of symptoms other than tuberculosis, as a 'rule-out' diagnostic test for tuberculosis. Potentially 26.5 million such antibiotic courses/year are prescribed globally for the 5.3 million/year mycobacteriology-negative patients, making trial-of-antibiotics the most common tuberculosis diagnostic, and a global-scale risk for antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Our systematic review found no randomised controlled trial (RCT) to support use of trial-of-antibiotic. The RCT aims to determine the diagn

SUBMITTER: Divala TH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7170647 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature