title: Setting priorities for a research agenda to combat drug-resistant tuberculosis in children.
abstract: METHODS
  Numerous knowledge gaps hamper the prevention and treatment of childhood drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB). Identifying research priorities is vital to inform and develop strategies to address this neglected problem.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To systematically identify and rank research priorities in childhood drug-resistant TB.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adapting the Child Health and Nutrition Research Initiative (CHNRI) methodology, we compiled 53 research questions in four research areas, then classified the questions into three research types. We invited experts in childhood drug-resistant TB to score these questions through an online survey.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 81 respondents participated in the survey. The top-ranked research question was to identify the best combination of existing diagnostic tools for early diagnosis. Highly ranked treatment-related questions centred on the reasons for and interventions to improve treatment outcomes, adverse effects of drugs and optimal treatment duration. The prevalence of drug-resistant TB was the highest-ranked question in the epidemiology area. The development type questions that ranked highest focused on interventions for optimal diagnosis, treatment and modalities for treatment delivery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first effort to identify and rank research priorities for childhood drug-resistant TB. The result is a resource to guide research to improve prevention and treatment of drug-resistant TB in children.
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis (formerly Tuberculosis Research Centre), Chennai, India.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Velayutham
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis (formerly Tuberculosis Research Centre), Chennai, India.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nair
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis (formerly Tuberculosis Research Centre), Chennai, India.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ramalingam
authors.affiliation: Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center, The University of Arizona College of Medicine, Phoenix, Arizona, USA.
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Perez-Velez
authors.affiliation: Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Becerra
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis (formerly Tuberculosis Research Centre), Chennai, India.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Swaminathan
keywords: Sentinel Project; adolescent; childhood; paediatric