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Brümmer LE, Thompson RR, Malhotra A, Shrestha S, Kendall EA, Andrews JR, Phillips P, Nahid P, Cattamanchi A, Marx FM, Denkinger CM, Dowdy DW. Cost-effectiveness of Low-complexity Screening Tests in Community-based Case-finding for Tuberculosis. Clin Infect Dis 2024; 78:154-163. [PMID: 37623745 PMCID: PMC10810711 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciad501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Revised: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION In high-burden settings, low-complexity screening tests for tuberculosis (TB) could expand the reach of community-based case-finding efforts. The potential costs and cost-effectiveness of approaches incorporating these tests are poorly understood. METHODS We developed a microsimulation model assessing 3 approaches to community-based case-finding in hypothetical populations (India-, South Africa-, The Philippines-, Uganda-, and Vietnam-like settings) with TB prevalence 4 times that of national estimates: (1) screening with a point-of-care C-reactive protein (CRP) test, (2) screening with a more sensitive "Hypothetical Screening test" (95% sensitive for Xpert Ultra-positive TB, 70% specificity; equipment/labor costs similar to Xpert Ultra, but using a $2 cartridge) followed by sputum Xpert Ultra if positive, or (3) testing all individuals with sputum Xpert Ultra. Costs are expressed in 2023 US dollars and include treatment costs. RESULTS Universal Xpert Ultra was estimated to cost a mean $4.0 million (95% uncertainty range: $3.5 to $4.6 million) and avert 3200 (2600 to 3900) TB-related disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) per 100 000 people screened ($670 [The Philippines] to $2000 [Vietnam] per DALY averted). CRP was projected to cost $550 (The Philippines) to $1500 (Vietnam) per DALY averted but with 44% fewer DALYs averted. The Hypothetical Screening test showed minimal benefit compared to universal Xpert Ultra, but if specificity were improved to 95% and per-test cost to $4.5 (all-inclusive), this strategy could cost $390 (The Philippines) to $940 (Vietnam) per DALY averted. CONCLUSIONS Screening tests can meaningfully improve the cost-effectiveness of community-based case-finding for TB but only if they are sensitive, specific, and inexpensive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lukas E Brümmer
- Division of Infectious Disease and Tropical Medicine, Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Heidelberg, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Ryan R Thompson
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Akash Malhotra
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Sourya Shrestha
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Emily A Kendall
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Center for Tuberculosis Research, Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Jason R Andrews
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Patrick Phillips
- Center for Tuberculosis, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Payam Nahid
- Center for Tuberculosis, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Adithya Cattamanchi
- Center for Tuberculosis, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
- Division of Pulmonary Diseases and Critical Care Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Florian M Marx
- Division of Infectious Disease and Tropical Medicine, Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Heidelberg, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Claudia M Denkinger
- Division of Infectious Disease and Tropical Medicine, Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Heidelberg, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - David W Dowdy
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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