Amplified Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Direct Test for Diagnosing Tuberculous Pleurisy—A Diagnostic Accuracy Study

Background: The study was designed to investigate the clinical usefulness of Amplified Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Direct (AMTD) tests for diagnosing TB pleurisy. Methods: One hundred and fifty-two patients for whom the exclusion of tuberculous pleural effusion was necessary were retrospectively analyzed. Results: The sensitivity of AMTD in diagnosing pleural TB was 36.4 % (20 of 55). Combining sputum and pleural effusion AFB smear, pleural biopsy, and AMTD test of pleural effusion increased sensitivity to 82.5 % (33/40). There were significantly higher percentages of neutrophils in the pleural effusion in the positive than in the negative AMTD group (38.066.7 % vs. 11.163.7%, p,0.001). Patients with symptom duration,18 days prior to pleural effusion studies had more positive AMTD tests than those with symptom.18 days (70 % vs. 31.4%; OR 5.09; 95 % CI 1.54–16.79; p = 0.011). Conclusions: Combining AMTD tests with conventional diagnostic methods offer good sensitivity for pleural TB diagnosis. Patients in the early course of the disease are better candidates for AMTD tests