An interventional study of Community-Based TPT Initiation in Tuberculosis, sponsored by Johns Hopkins University. Completed at 1 site in Ethiopia. Open to participants aged 0 Days to 14 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2023-08-14.
Sponsored by Johns Hopkins University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Prevention
Background: The World Health Organization (WHO) currently recommends household contact investigation for new tuberculosis (TB) patients in low- and middle-income countries, with an emphasis on pediatric contacts. Although the aim of this policy is to find previously undetected TB patients and reduce transmission, such investigations represent a missed opportunity to start contacts without TB on preventive therapy (TPT). The WHO guidelines do not address the optimal implementation of contact investigation. The standard of care (SOC) in most settings, passive referral of pediatric contacts to the clinic by the index TB patient, has largely remained unsuccessful in practice. In 2017, the WHO estimated only 23% of eligible child contacts were started on TB preventive therapy. Household contact investigation has been shown to have a higher yield in active TB case finding, but is labor intensive, and may be challenging to implement in densely populated urban settings or informal settlements/slums. The WHO recently endorsed the use of a new TPT regimen (rifapentine and isoniazid weekly (3HP)) for both children and adults in high burden settings, and the programmatic roll out of this regimen offers the opportunity to simultaneously examine new strategies to improve the identification and treatment of pediatric TB household contacts.
Objective: To compare the effectiveness of community-based versus facility-based child contact investigation and delivery of TB preventive care to inform the optimal implementation strategy for investigating pediatric household TB contacts.
Study Design: Cluster-randomized trial in 32 clinics (16 clinics per arm) divided equally among South Africa and Ethiopia (8 clinics per arm per country).
Methods: Newly diagnosed qualifying TB index patients (determined by South African or Ethiopian National TB guidelines) and participants' household child contacts will be recruited to participate. Local staff, including the relevant nurses and community health workers in the intervention and control clinics, will be trained to conduct contact investigation with a symptom-based approach for all child contacts under 15 years old in home and at the clinic. Data will be collected using routine medical files and then retrospectively abstracted by the research team. Thirty-two primary health clinics will be stratified (by TB case notification and by country) and randomized in 1:1 fashion to either community-based or facility-based delivery of care. Household child contacts under 15 years of age who screen negative for TB disease will be initiated on TPT by a healthcare worker (nurse, community health worker, etc.) either in the home or clinic setting. Children in the intervention arm who screen positive will first be sent to the nurse at the clinic for repeat screening. Children who have a persistently positive screen in the intervention arm and those with a positive screen in the control arm using South Africa's or Ethiopia's pediatric symptom screening tool will be referred to a physician at the district hospital for further investigation of TB disease, as is the standard of care in both settings. Investigators will compare clinic-level outcomes including proportion of household TB contacts under 15 years of age that were screened, initiated on TPT, and who completed TPT, and reasons for not completing TPT including loss to follow up and incident TB disease while on TPT.
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Inclusion Criteria:
Inclusion Criteria for Index Patient in South Africa:
Inclusion Criteria for Index Patient in Ethiopia:
Inclusion Criteria for Contact in South Africa:
Inclusion Criteria for Contact in Ethiopia:
Exclusion Criteria:
Exclusion Criteria for Index Patient in South Africa and Ethiopia:
Exclusion Criteria for Contact in South Africa:
Exclusion Criteria for Contact in Ethiopia:
All TB index patients who agree to participate will have a home visit by clinic staff who will perform: (1) contact enumeration (2) TB symptom screening of all children \<15 years (3) Initiation of TPT for all asymptomatic children and (4) Referral of all symptomatic children less than 15 years, including those living with HIV. HIV testing will be offered to all child contacts 12 months of age and older. Those children less than 12 months will be referred to the clinic for HIV testing, if indicated by local guidelines. In South Africa, these home visits will occur by a combination of community health workers and professional nurses. In Ethiopia, home visits will occur by health extension workers supported by nurses.
Other: Community-Based TPT Initiation
Children less than 15 years living in the home of TB index patients who agree to participate in the study will be referred to clinic for TB symptom screening and initiation of TPT for all asymptomatic child contacts. Symptomatic child contacts will be referred to a physician for evaluation, as is currently the standard of care. Additionally, child contacts identified in any maternal and child health program will be referred to the TB clinic for TB symptom screening. HIV testing will be offered at the clinic for all child contacts and will be performed according to local guideline.
Community-based care delivery model for pediatric tuberculosis evaluation and initiation of preventive therapy
The cluster-level ratio of the number of household child contacts less than 15 years of age initiated on TB preventive therapy (TPT) per index patient, comparing the intervention to the control arm
TPT includes 3 months of weekly rifapentine and isoniazid, 3 months of daily rifampin and isoniazid or 6 months of isoniazid
Time frame: 4 months
The cluster-level ratio of the number of household child contacts less than 15 years of age identified per index patient, comparing the intervention to the control arm
Time frame: 4 months
The cluster-level proportions of estimated child contacts under 15 years who are identified
We will calculate the estimated child contacts per household using Demographic and Health Survey data and prior community-based contact tracing studies in both South Africa and Ethiopia. We will measure identified child TB contacts using the index patient's clinic-based contact tracing report, the child contact management file and the community-level file maintained by community health teams.
Time frame: 6 months
The cluster-level proportions of estimated child contacts under 15 years who are screened
We will calculate the estimated child contacts per household using Demographic and Health Survey data and prior community-based contact tracing studies in both South Africa and Ethiopia. We will define screening as the child's documented visit to the TB clinic or a documented visit to the home by the community health team (where the child was present) within four months of the index patient's TB clinic admission.
Time frame: 6 months
The cluster-level proportions of estimated child contacts under 15 years who are initiated on TB preventive therapy
We will calculate the estimated child contacts per household using Demographic and Health Survey data and prior community-based contact tracing studies in both South Africa and Ethiopia. Clinic staff or community health workers will document TPT initiation on the child contact management file.
Time frame: 6 months
The cluster-level proportions of estimated child contacts under 15 years who complete TB preventive therapy
We will calculate the estimated child contacts per household using Demographic and Health Survey data and prior community-based contact tracing studies in both South Africa and Ethiopia. Clinic staff or community health workers will document TPT completion on the child contact management file.
Time frame: 6 months
The cluster-level ratio of the number of household child contacts less than 15 years of age initiated on TB preventive therapy per index patient, comparing the intervention to the control arm in South Africa
Time frame: 4 months
The cluster-level ratio of the number of household child contacts less than 15 years of age initiated on TB preventive therapy per index patient, comparing the intervention to the control arm in Ethiopia
Time frame: 4 months
The cluster-level ratio of the number of household child contacts less than 15 years of age initiated on TB preventive therapy per index patient, comparing the intervention to the control arm among those less than 5 years of age
Time frame: 4 months
The proportion of child contacts, by study arm, who discontinued TPT due to incident TB
Time frame: 6 months
The proportion of child contacts, by study arm, who discontinued TPT due to pregnancy
Time frame: 6 months
The proportion of child contacts, by study arm, who discontinued TPT due to severe malaria
Time frame: 6 months
The proportion of child contacts, by study arm, who discontinued TPT due to a side effect
Time frame: 6 months
The proportion of child contacts, by study arm, who were lost to follow up
Time frame: 6 months
The proportion of children, by study arm, who were HIV-tested
Time frame: 3 months
The proportion of newly diagnosed HIV-positive children, by study arm, who are referred for initiation of antiretroviral therapy by the community health team
Time frame: 3 months
The proportion of newly diagnosed HIV-positive children, by study arm, who are initiated on antiretroviral therapy
Time frame: 3 months
The proportion of identified child contacts in the intervention arm whose caregiver agrees for them to be screened by community-based healthcare workers in their home
Time frame: 4 months
Mean number of attempted household visits per household
Time frame: 6 months
Mean duration of time per household visit
Time frame: 6 months
The proportion of TB contacts initiated on the correct TPT regimen by age and HIV status
Time frame: 6 months
The proportion of TPT initiations with the correct dose for weight
Time frame: 6 months
Proportion of TB index patient households in the intervention arm who refused a household visit due to stigma
Time frame: 6 months
Proportion of TB index patient households in the intervention arm who refused a household visit due to lack of time
Time frame: 6 months
Proportion of TB index patient households in the intervention arm who refused a household visit due to well status of the child
Time frame: 6 months
Proportion of TB index patient households in the intervention arm who do not receive a home visit because the family and/or child was not home on three separate attempts
Time frame: 6 months
Proportion of TB index patient households in the intervention arm who refused a household visit due to fear of disclosure
Time frame: 6 months
Plan to share: No
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