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Table 2 Search strategy for MEDLINE using Ovid platform

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

Search in Ovid MEDLINE

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Search terms

Part 1

Defining study population

 1.

 exp Tuberculosis/

 2.

 tuberculosis.mp.

 3.

 (suspect* adj3 (TB or Tuberculosis)).mp.

 4.

 (presumpt* adj3 (TB or Tuberculosis)).mp.

 5.

 (probabl* adj3 (TB or Tuberculosis)).mp.

 6.

 exp Cough/

 7.

 tb.mp.

 8.

 (suspect* adj3 (TB or Tuberculosis)).mp.

 9.

 or/1-8

Part 2

Defining study intervention

 1.

 (Antibiotic* adj3 trial).mp.

 2.

 antibiotic*.mp.

 3.

 Anti-Bacterial Agents/

 4.

 (oral* adj3 antibiotic*).mp.

 5.

 (amox?cillin or erythromycin or azithromycin or doxycyclin* or Vibramycin or clavulanic acid or co-amoxiclav).mp.

 6.

 or/10-14

Part 3

Defining study outcome

 1.

 exp “Sensitivity and Specificity”/

 2.

 sensitivity.mp.

 3.

 specificity.mp.

 4.

 accuracy.mp.

 5.

 exp “Predictive Value of Tests”/

 6.

 ((positive or negative) adj2 predictive value).mp.

 7.

 (ppv or npv).mp.

 8.

 or/16-22

Part 4

Subject combinations

 1.

 9 and 15 (population and intervention)

 2.

 23 and 24 (Population and intervention and outcome)

Part 5

Applying pre-defined limits

 1.

 limit 25 to yr=“1993 -Current”