Expanding Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra and lateral flow urine lipoarabinomannan testing for diagnosis of tuberculosis among adults living with HIV admitted to hospitals in Tanzania and Mozambique (EXULTANT): a randomised controlled trial.
Lancet Infect DisMay 6, 2026 (epub)
Marta Cossa, Robert Ndege, Bindiya Meggi et al.
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In 30 seconds
The EXULTANT trial, a randomized controlled trial conducted in Tanzania and Mozambique, evaluated an expanded tuberculosis screening strategy among adults living with HIV. The study found no significant difference in the proportion of participants starting tuberculosis treatment within 72 hours between the intervention group (16.0%) and the control group (15.3%), with a difference of 0.7% (95% CI -3.4 to 4.8, p=0.73).
Key findings
- 16.0% of the intervention group started tuberculosis treatment within 72 hours compared to 15.3% in the control group.
- 8-week all-cause mortality was 25.8% in the intervention group and 28.8% in the control group.
- Median time to tuberculosis treatment initiation was 0.98 days in the intervention group and 0.92 days in the control group.
Why it matters
This study highlights the challenges in improving tuberculosis diagnosis and treatment initiation among hospitalized individuals living with HIV, emphasizing the need for effective screening strategies in high-burden settings.