Impact of a computer system as a triage tool in the management of pulmonary tuberculosis in a HIV reference center in Brazil

Rev Soc Bras Med Trop. 2022 Aug 5:55:e0451. doi: 10.1590/0037-8682-0451-20. eCollection 2022.

Abstract

Background: The Neural Clinical Score for tuberculosis (NCS-TB) is a computer system developed to improve the triage of presumed pulmonary TB (pPTB).

Methods: A study was performed with cohorts of pPTB patients cared for at a reference hospital in Northeast Brazil.

Results: The NCS-TB sensitivity was 76.5% for TB diagnosis, which shortened the time from triage to smear microscopy results (3.3 to 2.5 days; p<0.001) and therapy initiation (6.7 to 4.1 days; p=0.045).

Conclusions: Although the NCS-TB was not suitable as a screening tool, it was able to optimize laboratory diagnosis and shorten the time to treatment initiation.

MeSH terms

  • Brazil
  • Computer Systems
  • HIV Infections*
  • Humans
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis*
  • Polypyrimidine Tract-Binding Protein
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Triage
  • Tuberculosis* / diagnosis
  • Tuberculosis, Pulmonary* / diagnosis
  • Tuberculosis, Pulmonary* / drug therapy

Substances

  • Polypyrimidine Tract-Binding Protein