NCT04568954

Brief Summary

A cluster randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effect of placing Truenat platform/TB assays at primary health care clinics combined with rapid communication of results on time to treatment initiation of microbiologically confirmed TB.

Trial Health

90
On Track

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Enrollment
3,987

participants targeted

Target at P75+ for not_applicable

Timeline
Completed

Started Aug 2022

Typical duration for not_applicable

Geographic Reach
2 countries

4 active sites

Status
completed

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

Click on a node to explore related trials.

Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

September 23, 2020

Completed
6 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

September 29, 2020

Completed
1.9 years until next milestone

Study Start

First participant enrolled

August 28, 2022

Completed
1.8 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

June 16, 2024

Completed
7 months until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

December 31, 2024

Completed
Last Updated

April 4, 2025

Status Verified

April 1, 2025

Enrollment Period

1.8 years

First QC Date

September 23, 2020

Last Update Submit

April 3, 2025

Conditions

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

  • Proportion of participants with microbiological confirmation starting TB treatment within 7 days of their first visit among enrolled participants

    Proportion of participants with microbiological confirmation starting TB treatment within 7 days of their first visit among enrolled participants

    7 days

Secondary Outcomes (4)

  • Time to bacteriological confirmation of TB

    60 days

  • Proportion of patients treated for TB up to 60 days from enrolment

    60 days

  • Proportion of participants with signs and symptoms suggestive of pulmonary TB starting TB treatment with microbiological confirmation within 60 days from enrolment

    60 days

  • Cost and productivity related endpoints

    60 days

Study Arms (2)

TB testing using the Truenat platform/TB assays

EXPERIMENTAL

TB testing using the Truenat platform/TB assays placed at primary health care clinics combined with rapid communication of results and same day TB treatment initiation

Diagnostic Test: Truenat TB platform/TB assays

Standard of care Arm

NO INTERVENTION

Standard of care for TB testing using a combination of smear microscopy and laboratory (off-site) Xpert testing, may vary by clinic depending on availability of transport and stock of Xpert MTB/RIF or Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra cartridges (Xpert).

Interventions

Truenat TB platform/TB assays, a molecular diagnostic test developed by Molbio diagnostics, for the diagnosis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) and Truenat MTB-RIF Dx for detection of RIF resistance was endorsed in 2020 by the WHO for TB diagnosis. The system has been designed to be operated as a point-of-care- diagnostic solution in peripheral laboratories with minimal infrastructure. It takes about 25 minutes to do the DNA extraction and another 35 minutes to diagnose TB. It is portable and battery operated, have no need for a computer or laptop, and operate from 2-40 C ambient temperature. The system uses room temperature stable reagents with long shelf life.

TB testing using the Truenat platform/TB assays

Eligibility Criteria

Age18 Years+
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersNo
Age GroupsAdult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

  • Patients with presumptive pulmonary TB, as defined by the national TB treatment guidelines in each country: patients with cough more than 1-2 weeks and/or fever, night sweats, blood-stained sputum (haemoptysis) significant weight loss, abnormalities on chest radiograph
  • Adults 18 years old and above who are able and willing to consent

You may not qualify if:

  • Circumstances that raise doubt on free, informed consent (e.g. in a mentally impaired person or a prisoner)
  • Already diagnosed with TB
  • Currently receiving anti-TB therapy
  • Patients with symptoms which are only attributable to extra-pulmonary TB
  • Patients who are seriously ill and need to be admitted to hospital

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (4)

Centro de Investigação em Saúde de Manhiça-Fundação

Manhiça, Vila Da Manhiça, 1929, Mozambique

Location

Instituto Nacional de Saúde (INS)

Maputo, 1100, Mozambique

Location

Ifakara Health Institute

Dar es Salaam, Box 78 373, Tanzania

Location

National Institute of Medical Research (NIMR)

Mbeya, 2410, Tanzania

Location

Related Publications (2)

  • Inbaraj LR, Daniel J, Sathya Narayanan MK, Srinivasalu VA, Bhaskar A, Scandrett K, Rajendran P, Kirubakaran R, Shewade HD, Malaisamy M, Padmapriyadarsini C, Takwoingi Y. Truenat MTB assays for pulmonary tuberculosis and rifampicin resistance in adults and adolescents. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2025 Mar 24;3(3):CD015543. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD015543.pub2.

  • Leukes VN, Hella J, Sabi I, Cossa M, Khosa C, Erkosar B, Mangu C, Siyame E, Mtafya B, Lwilla A, Viegas S, Madeira C, Machiana A, Ribeiro J, Garcia-Basteiro AL, Riess F, Elisio D, Sasamalo M, Mhalu G, Denkinger CM, Castro MDM, Bashir S, Schumacher SG, Tagliani E, Malhotra A, Dowdy D, Schacht C, Buech J, Nguenha D, Ntinginya N, Ruhwald M, Penn-Nicholson A, Kranzer K; TB-CAPT Consortium. Study protocol: a pragmatic, cluster-randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effect of implementation of the Truenat platform/MTB assays at primary health care clinics in Mozambique and Tanzania (TB-CAPT CORE). BMC Infect Dis. 2024 Jan 19;24(1):107. doi: 10.1186/s12879-023-08876-8.

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Tuberculosis

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Mycobacterium InfectionsActinomycetales InfectionsGram-Positive Bacterial InfectionsBacterial InfectionsBacterial Infections and MycosesInfections

Study Officials

  • Katharina Kranzer

    Medical Center of the University of Munich

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
not applicable
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
SINGLE
Who Masked
OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
Masking Details
The objective of the trial is to assess Truenat platform/TB assays in clinical care. The use of Truenat platform/TB assays does not allow blinding of clinicians and participants in this trial. The trial-related procedures will be embedded into the routine practice at the primary-level facility. Data analysts will be blinded to intervention allocation. Randomisation takes place on a cluster level rather than for the individual patients to avoid contamination between the arms within a health facility. Since clinics will be relatively far apart, contamination is unlikely.
Purpose
DIAGNOSTIC
Intervention Model
PARALLEL
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

September 23, 2020

First Posted

September 29, 2020

Study Start

August 28, 2022

Primary Completion

June 16, 2024

Study Completion

December 31, 2024

Last Updated

April 4, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-04

Data Sharing

IPD Sharing
Will share

Individual, de-identified participant data may be shared, including data dictionaries. Available documents include the study protocol and statistical analysis plan. Templates of the informed consent forms may be shared upon request. The data will be available immediately following publication with no end date, will be shared with anyone who wishes to access them, and will be available for any purpose of analyses.

Shared Documents
STUDY PROTOCOL, SAP, ICF, CSR, ANALYTIC CODE
Time Frame
Upon publication of the main study manuscript

Locations