The use of a urine lipoarabinomannan test in clinical decision-making regarding empiric tuberculosis treatment
TB in HIV is deadly. Urine LAM helps diagnose, but negatives can mislead when symptoms still suggest TB.
Tuberculosis (TB) is a major contributor to mortality among patients affected by HIV. TB diagnosis can be challenging, especially in those who are severely ill and unable to produce sputum. Urine lipoarabinomannan (LAM) is a rapid point‑of‑care diagnostic tool that is used on urine. The dilemma arises if a urine LAM test yields a negative result when the clinical presentation is strongly suggestive of TB. HIV is a global pandemic, with ~39 million people infected by the end of 2022.[1] Africa is the most affected continent, accounting for 25.6 million of these cases.[2] In 2022, there were ~630 000 AIDS‑related deaths worldwide.[1] Tuberculosis (TB) remains one of the leading causes of death among people living with HIV (PLHIV).[2]
Click here to access the article.