title: A new, clinically-based algorithm for the diagnosis of HIV in African tuberculosis patients: cross-sectional analysis from Mzuzu, Malawi.
abstract: We aimed to create an improved, clinically-based algorithm for the diagnosis of HIV in tuberculosis (TB) patients. Cross-sectional analysis was performed on data from adult TB patients consecutively diagnosed at a Malawian district level hospital. Of 225 patients, 187 with valid HIV results were included in the study. Sixty-seven per cent were HIV seropositive. Urban address, history of skin rash and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and, on examination, oral candidiasis and lymphadenopathy, were associated with HIV co-infection. Using these clinical characteristics, a case definition for HIV was constructed. The Mzuzu clinical case definition was highly sensitive (86%). The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was 0.81, significantly larger than existing World Health Organization (WHO) clinical case definitions. The Mzuzu definition is proposed for further evaluation in settings where HIV serological testing is not readily available.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia. Paul.Kelly@CASRDH.health.nt.gov.au
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Kelly
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Cumming
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Kaldor
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Irwig
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000465:Algorithms; D044383:Black People; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008295:Malawi / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015995:Prevalence; D012372:ROC Curve; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*