TY - JOUR AU - Stagg, Helen AU - White, Peter AU - Riekstiņa, Vija AU - Cīrule, Andra AU - Šķenders, Ģirts AU - Leimane, Vaira AU - Kuksa, Liga AU - Dravniece, Gunta AU - Brown, James AU - Jackson, Charlotte T1 - Decreased Time to Treatment Initiation for Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis Patients after Use of Xpert MTB/RIF Test, Latvia T2 - Emerging Infectious Disease journal PY - 2016 VL - 22 IS - 3 SP - 482 SN - 1080-6059 AB - Few studies have examined whether the Xpert MTB/RIF test improves time to treatment initiation for persons with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR TB). We determined the impact of this test in Latvia, where it was introduced in 2010. After descriptive analyses of pulmonary MDR TB patients in Latvia during 2009–2012, time to treatment initiation was calculated, and univariate and multivariable accelerated failure time models were constructed. Univariate results showed strong evidence of an association between having rifampin-resistant TB detected by Xpert MTB/RIF and reduced time to treatment initiation versus the test not being used. A multivariable model stratifying by previous TB showed similar results. Our finding that in Latvia, time to treatment initiation was decreased for MDR TB cases that were rifampin-resistant TB by XpertMTB/RIF has implications for the use of this test in other settings with a high burden of MDR TB in which rifampin resistance is highly predictive of MDR TB. KW - tuberculosis and other mycobacteria KW - bacteria KW - antimicrobial resistance KW - multidrug resistance KW - molecular diagnostics KW - rifampin KW - time to treatment initiation KW - pulmonary KW - multidrug-resistant tuberculosis KW - MDR TB KW - Xpert MTB/RIF KW - Latvia DO - 10.3201/eid2203.151227 UR - https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/22/3/15-1227_article ER - End of Reference