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Table 1 Research question

From: Sensitivity and specificity of using trial-of-antibiotics versus sputum mycobacteriology for diagnosis of tuberculosis: protocol for a systematic literature review

Population

Adult patients with respiratory symptoms

Index test

Trial-of-antibiotics (any course of broad-spectrum antimicrobial given with the goal of ruling out TB in a symptomatic adult)

Reference test

Any mycobacteriology test (we expect smear microscopy, smear microscopy using a fluorescent microscope, Cepheid GeneXpert, and mycobacterial culture)

Outcome

Proportion of mycobacteriology-positive or mycobacteriology-negative participants correctly identified by trial-of-antibiotics (sensitivity and specificity)

Design

Cross-sectional, cohort, and randomised controlled studies

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Systematic Reviews

ISSN: 2046-4053