Urine TB lipoarabinomannan (LAM) predicts mortality in hospitalized HIV-infected children

Abstract

Despite diagnostic performance limitations, urine lipoarabinomannan (LAM) predicts death in HIV-infected adults with TB. Pediatric data are limited. Among 137 hospitalized HIV-infected children, mortality was 4.9-fold higher among LAM-positives (127 vs. 31/100 py, aHR 4.92 [95%CI 1.79-13.49]; p=0.002). LAM identifies HIV-infected children at risk for death potentially missed by respiratory sampling.