Effect of type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in the patients with Tuberculosis

Abstract

Background: Tuberculosis and diabetes mellitus still are the major concern of public. Diabetes can worsen the clinical course of tuberculosis and treatment outcomes. Therefore, screening of tuberculosis patients for diabetes will ensure better management tuberculosis treatment outcome. Hence the objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and effect of diabetes in tuberculosis patients and their treatment outcomes.

Materials and methods: This hospital based cross sectional study was commenced with 220 tuberculosis patients, in the Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Rohilkh and Medical College from August 2014 to July 2017. All patients diagnosed as a case of tuberculosis were included for the study and were screened for diabetes mellitus. Additional information like age, gender, body mass index (BMI) and sputum smear positivity were also collected. Data were analyzed using SPSS and p<0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results:50 (29.4%) of tuberculosis patients were diagnosed as diabetic. The prevalence of diabetes was high in patients with age group >30 years (86%), male patients (78%), patients with high BMI (28%) and sputum positive pulmonary tuberculosis (60%). The treatment outcome of tuberculosis patients were significantly associated with diabetic status (p<0.05). The odds ratios of associated risk of diabetes in tuberculosis patients were statistically significant except for male gender. The relative risk of unfavourable outcome in diabetic tuberculosis patients was 2.15.

Conclusion: The high prevalence of diabetes in tuberculosis patients signals the urge of diabetes screening in tuberculosis patients as diabetes increases the risk of unfavourable treatment outcomes. Screening of diabetes at an early stage aids in better management of outcome in tuberculosis patients.