Assessing Tuberculosis Case Fatality Ratio: A Meta-Analysis
Author Information
Author(s): Masja Straetemans, Philippe Glaziou, Ana L. Bierrenbach, Charalambos Sismanidis, Marieke J. van der Werf
Primary Institution: KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation, The Hague, The Netherlands
Hypothesis
What is the tuberculosis case fatality ratio in patients who have initiated TB treatment?
Conclusion
The study found that the tuberculosis case fatality ratio is 9.2% among HIV-infected patients and 3.0% among HIV-uninfected patients.
Supporting Evidence
- The pooled percentage of TB patients dying due to TB was 9.2% among HIV-infected persons.
- The pooled percentage of TB patients dying during TB treatment was 18.8% among HIV-infected patients.
- Among HIV-uninfected persons, the pooled percentage of TB patients dying due to TB was 3.0%.
- Mortality during TB treatment was reported in 59 studies.
Takeaway
This study looked at how many people with tuberculosis die after starting treatment, finding that more people with HIV die from it than those without HIV.
Methodology
A meta-analysis was conducted by reviewing studies from PubMed and Embase to estimate the tuberculosis case fatality ratio.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to the exclusion of non-English articles and studies with inaccurate mortality data.
Limitations
The study did not provide all necessary data for a valid estimation of TB case fatality ratio in all patients.
Participant Demographics
The studies included both HIV-infected and uninfected TB patients of various ages, with a significant number from Africa.
Statistical Information
Confidence Interval
95% CI: 3.7%–14.7% for HIV-infected; 95% CI: −1.2%–7.4% for HIV-uninfected
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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