An interventional study of External validation of the PAANTHER TB treatment decision algorithm in Tuberculosis and HIV, sponsored by Institut National de la Santé Et de la Recherche Médicale, France. Completed at 7 sites in 4 countries. Open to participants aged 1 Month to 14 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-09-24.
Sponsored by Institut National de la Santé Et de la Recherche Médicale, France · Not applicable, Interventional, and Diagnostic
TB-Speed HIV is a prospective multicentre management study evaluating the safety and feasibility of the recently proposed PAANTHER TB treatment decision algorithm for HIV-infected children with presumptive TB. It will be conducted in four countries with high and very high TB (Tuberculosis) incidence (Côte d'Ivoire, Uganda, Mozambique, and Zambia) which have not participated in the study that developed the PAANTHER algorithm.
The ANRS 12229 PAANTHER 01 (Pediatric Asian African Network for Tuberculosis and HIV Research) study, which enrolled 438 HIV-infected children of median age 7.3 (IQR: 3.3 - 9.7) years with presumptive TB in four countries (Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cambodia, Vietnam) from 2011 to 2014, aimed at developing a diagnostic prediction score and algorithm for TB treatment decision in HIV-infected children. This was the first study developing a TB diagnostic score exclusively in HIV-infected children, using methods recommended for diagnostic prediction models. Based on microbiological, clinical and radiological features, the best scoring system obtained had a sensitivity of 88.6% and specificity of 61.2% when Xpert MTB/RIF was included in the algorithm. The investigators showed previously that mortality is high in children with both confirmed and unconfirmed TB and that initiation of anti-TB treatment, that occurred at a median time of 7 (IQR: 5 - 11) days in the study, led to delayed ART initiation, which is associated to significantly increased mortality. The score, based on easily collected clinical features, chest radiographic features, Xpert MTB/RIF results, and abdominal ultrasonography, could enable same-day TB treatment decision. Abdominal ultrasonography has shown promise for the diagnosis of TB in both HIV-infected adults and children. In the PAANTHER study, it detected abdominal lymphadenopathy in 50% of culture confirmed TB cases and 35% of all confirmed and unconfirmed cases, with a specificity of 85%.
Developed in tertiary research-experienced health facilities, the PAANTHER score could enable standardized treatment decision in HIV-infected children with presumptive TB, and could be recommended for extensive use in secondary and primary healthcare settings where most of these children are seeking care. However, external validation studies are now needed to assess the predictive performance of the PAANTHER diagnostic score on independent datasets.
The PAANTHER TB treatment decision algorithm will be used for a TB treatment decision by site clinicians in all children enrolled in the study. Validation of the algorithm will be performed by evaluating the safety of withholding TB treatment in children not initiated on treatment as per the PAANTHER TB treatment decision algorithm. The safety of this strategy will be carefully assessed through review of safety reports every 4 to 6 months during study conduct by the safety sub-committee of the SAB.
Occurrence of algorithm failures in terms of missed TB cases (TB cases subsequently detected among untreated cases, i.e. false negatives) and cases with unlikely TB among those initiated on TB treatment as per the algorithm (cases not secondarily validated as confirmed or unconfirmed TB cases by the expert committee, i.e. false positives) will enable to estimate the negative and positive predictive values of the algorithm.
A centralized international Expert Committee will clinically review and validate TB diagnosis in children. This will enable assessment of the added value of new markers (MLR and CRP) and, if need be, to propose a new version of the score based on an optimised predicted probability.
The TB-Speed HIV study will be implemented in 7 tertiary healthcare level hospitals in capital cities of Côte d'Ivoire, Uganda, Mozambique, and Zambia. A total of 550 HIV-infected children (aged \< 15 years) with clinically suspected TB (presumptive TB) will be enrolled, using standard entry criteria. The inclusion period will last until all sites have reached the expected number of children enrolled.
1,170 studies on the registry are indexed under Tuberculosis; 175 are open to participants now.
This study's enrollment of 278 is above the median of 150 across 820 interventional studies indexed under Tuberculosis.
Browse Tuberculosis studies →Institut National de la Santé Et de la Recherche Médicale, France is the lead sponsor of 378 studies on the registry; 81 are open to participants now.
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Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
Presumptive TB based on at least one criteria among the following:
OR
History of contact with a TB case and any of the symptoms listed under point 3 with a shorter duration (\< 2 weeks)
Exclusion Criteria:
Ongoing TB treatment or history of intake of anti-TB drugs in the last 3 months (isoniazid alone or rifampin/isoniazid for preventive therapy is not an exclusion criteria)
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
The human immunodeficiency virus, which weakens the immune system.
Many studies now accept people whose HIV is controlled on treatment, judged by the viral load and the CD4 count. Check the limits this study sets.
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
HIV
The human immunodeficiency virus, which weakens the immune system.
Many studies now accept people whose HIV is controlled on treatment, judged by the viral load and the CD4 count. Check the limits this study sets.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Informed consent
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Recruitment will be performed at entry in HIV outpatient/inpatient centres of participating hospitals, as well as during the follow up of HIV-infected children on ART. Children will be first pre-screened for TB by attending clinicians and nurses in the context of routine care based on WHO criteria, i.e. with any one of the following symptoms: poor weight gain, fever, current cough and contact with a TB case. If not routinely performed, this pre-screening step will be reinforced and a screening logbook will be set up (if not already in place) to collect aggregated data on the eligibility criteria assessment process. Children pre-screened positive for TB will be further subjected to the study selection criteria by the study nurses.
Other: External validation of the PAANTHER TB treatment decision algorithm
The PAANTHER algorithm will be used for a TB treatment decision by site clinicians in all children enrolled in the study. The PAANTHER algorithm and prediction score was designed as a guiding tool for empirical TB treatment decision in HIV-infected children with presumptive TB. The proposed score includes: * history of contact * suggestive TB symptoms * tachycardia * chest radiography * abdominal ultrasound * Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra. A score of \>100 is highly predictive of TB. In children with a score \>100, anti-TB treatment will be initiated immediately. In children with a score of \<100, TB treatment will not be initiated except in those with severe/life-threatening conditions for whom TB treatment decision could be made at the discretion of the site clinician. TB could be definitely ruled out after further assessment and decision made as to what treatment the children should receive in accordance with existing national protocols, along with clinical follow-up.
Proportion of missed TB cases
Proportion of missed TB cases (false negative cases) in children not initiated on treatment as per the PAANTHER TB treatment decision algorithm
Time frame: 6 months
Feasibility of the PAANTHER TB treatment decision algorithm (a): Proportion of children with presumptive TB having completed the algorithm.
The algorithm will be considered completed if a decision to initiate TB treatment has been taken at any step of the algorithm or if TB has been excluded after systematic evaluation, and all steps planned in the algorithm have been implemented.
Time frame: 6 months
Feasibility of the PAANTHER TB treatment decision algorithm (b): Time to final TB treatment decision
Time frame: 6 months
Proportion of HIV-infected children with unlikely TB among those initiated on treatment as per the PAANTHER TB treatment decision algorithm
Proportion of cases considered as unlikely TB by the Expert Committee in those initiated on treatment as per the PAANTHER TB treatment decision algorithm (false positive)
Time frame: 6 months
Incidence of morbidity
Incidence of morbidity defined as drug-induced toxicity (ART and TB treatment-related), opportunistic infections, and IRIS, with or without TB treatment
Time frame: 6 months
Incidence of mortality
Time frame: 6 months
Time to ART initiation in ART-naïve children
Time frame: 6 months
CD4 (absolute count and %) gain
Immunologic evolution at 6 months after enrolment defined as CD4 cells gain (absolute count and %)
Time frame: 6 months
TB treatment outcomes (a): Weight gain at 6 months (absolute value and percentage of body weight)
TB treatment outcome in HIV-infected children initiated on treatment as per the PAANTHER TB treatment decision algorithm defined by weight gain at 6 months (absolute value and percentage of body weight)
Time frame: 6 months
TB treatment outcomes (b): TB symptoms resolution in children on TB treatment
Time frame: 6 months
Feasibility of IPT initiation (a): Time to IPT initiation
Time to Isoniazid Preventive Therapy (IPT) initiation in HIV-infected children not initiated on treatment as per the PAANTHER TB treatment decision algorithm (a)
Time frame: 6 months
Feasibility of IPT initiation (b): Proportion of children initiated on IPT
Proportion of children initiated on IPT in HIV-infected children not initiated on treatment as per the PAANTHER TB treatment decision algorithm (b)
Time frame: 6 months
Performance of the Monocyte-to-Lymphocyte Ratio and the C-reactive protein and their potential added value in the PAANTHER score and algorithm to detect TB
Discrimination (area under the receiver-operating-characteristic curves \[AUROC\]) and calibration measures of the PAANTHER prediction model including or not MLR and CRP, against the TB composite reference standard as defined by the Expert Committee
Time frame: 6 months
Proportion of NPAs (or sputum) and stool samples with mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) detected using Ultra
Diagnostic performance of Ultra performed on one NPA and one stool sample against mycobacterial culture performed on standard samples in HIV-infected children
Time frame: 6 months
Proportion of children with NPA and stool samples collected as per study protocol
Feasibility of NPA and stool samples collection in HIV-infected children defined as the proportion of children with NPA and stool samples collected as per study protocol
Time frame: 6 months
Proportion of NPA-related adverse events (AEs)
Safety of NPA collection defined as proportion of AEs (vomiting, nose bleeding, low oxygen saturation, respiratory distress) occurring during NPA
Time frame: 6 months
Discomfort/pain/distress experienced by the child during NPA as assessed by the child
Tolerability of NPA collection defined as discomfort/pain/distress experienced by the child during NPA, as assessed by the child using the Wong-Baker face scale (in a subset of children). Scale range: 0 (no hurt) - 5 (hurts worst)
Time frame: Within 3 days of inclusion
Discomfort/pain/distress experienced by the child during NPA as assessed by the parents
Tolerability of NPA collection defined as discomfort/pain/distress experienced by the child during NPA, as assessed by the parents using the visual analog scale (in a subset of children). Scale range: 0 (no pain) - 10 (pain as bad as it could possibly be)
Time frame: Within 3 days of inclusion
Discomfort/pain/distress experienced by the child during NPA as assessed by the nurse
Tolerability of NPA collection defined as discomfort/pain/distress experienced by the child during NPA, as assessed by the nurses using the "Face Legs Activity Cry Consolability" behavioral pain scale (in a subset of children). Total score range: 0 (relaxed and comfortable) - 10 (severe discomfort/pain). Each item of the FLACC scale - Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability - has 3 possible quotes: 0 or 1 or 2, with a precise description provided to help with the rating. The total score is obtained by adding individual item scores.
Time frame: Within 3 days of inclusion
Sensitivity
false negative rate, i.e. negative predictive value, and corresponding sensitivity of the PAANTHER algorithm in the different subgroups in terms of age, CD4 counts, nutritional statuses, and timings of ART initiation (on/off ART)
Time frame: 6 months
Positivity
false positiverate, i.e. Positive predictive value, and corresponding positivity of the PAANTHER algorithm in the different subgroups in terms of age, CD4 counts, nutritional statuses, and timings of ART initiation (on/off ART)
Time frame: 6 months
Incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER)
Incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER)
Time frame: 33 months
Plan to share: Undecided
Ran from Oct 2019 to primary completion in Jun 2022, 32 months.
Of 169 non-industry interventional studies with no phase under Tuberculosis, half reached primary completion within 25 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 15 and three quarters within 41. This study's 32 months is above that.
Counting every sponsor, half of 171 studies reached it within 25 months; a quarter within 14 and three quarters within 41.
How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.
This study is completed, as verified in Feb 2025. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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