Economic evidence of health technology innovations for the diagnosis of extrapulmonary TB in resource-limited settings: a scoping review protocol

Introduction Extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) poses a significant diagnostic and economic challenge in HIV endemic, low-resource settings due to its complex presentation and current diagnostic tools limitations. While accurate and timely diagnosis is critical for reducing morbidity, mortality and health system costs, economic evaluations of EPTB diagnostics remain sparse and fragmented.

This protocol aims to map existing evidence on the economic evaluation of diagnostic innovations for EPTB in low-resource settings. Methods and analysis This scoping review protocol follows the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodological framework and registered on the Open Science Framework.

Peer-reviewed articles, grey literature and official reports published between 2000 and 2025 will be searched in PubMed, MEDLINE, Google Scholar, Scopus and Science Direct. The search strategy is structured using the Population, Intervention, Comparator, Outcome, Time, Study design and Setting (PICOTSS) framework, and will be peer-reviewed using the Peer Review of Electronic Search Strategies (PRESS) guideline.

Study selection, data charting and extraction will be performed independently by two reviewers. Data will be charted iteratively, and the methodological quality of selected economic evaluations will be appraised using the Drummond checklist.

Results will be synthesised in narrative summaries and tabular formats. Final reporting will follow the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) reporting guideline.

Ethics and dissemination For review of previously published data, ethical approval is not required. Findings will be disseminated in professional networks, stakeholder meetings and a peer-reviewed journal.

Trial registration number OSF Registration DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/BTCPG