Identification of characteristics of TB in patients with diabetes mellitus

Abstract

Background & Objective: A rising body of research shows that diabetes is a significant risk factor for tuberculosis and may have an impact on how the disease manifests. The goal of this study was to identify the characteristics of TB patients with diabetes mellitus in Ghaziabad.

Methods and Materials: A case-control study conducted during the period 2010-2011. Diabetic tuberculosis patients enrolled as cases and non diabetic patients as control.

 Results: 156 non-diabetic patients and 84 diabetic patients with TB. Patients with diabetes who had tuberculosis were older (mean 49.23 years) and had less education than non-diabetic patients (mean 43.21 ys). Age 45–64, low levels of education, extra-pulmonary TB, and related medical conditions (especially hypertension) are all strongly linked to diabetes in TB patients.

Conclusions: Patients with diabetes who have TB in Iraq are older than 44, have extra-pulmonary TB disease, and are more likely to have concomitant medial disease (mostly hypertension). We anticipate that our study will contribute to bettering the management of tuberculosis in diabetic patients as there are no comparable studies in Iraq.