Impact of type 2 diabetes on manifestations and treatment outcome of pulmonary tuberculosis

Epidemiol Infect. 2009 Feb;137(2):203-10. doi: 10.1017/S0950268808000782. Epub 2008 Jun 18.

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a known risk factor for pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB). This study aimed to determine if type 2 DM alters manifestations and treatment outcome of PTB. Records of 217 consecutive culture-proven PTB patients were analysed retrospectively. The manifestations and treatment outcomes of 74 patients with type 2 DM (PTB-DM group) were compared to 143 patients without DM (PTB group). PTB-DM patients showed higher frequencies of fever, haemoptysis, positive acid-fast bacilli sputum smears, and consolidation, cavity, and lower lung field lesions on chest radiographs, and higher mortality rate. Furthermore, type 2 DM, age 65 years, and extensive radiographic disease were factors independently associated with an unfavorable outcome. This study confirmed that clinical manifestations and chest radiographs of PTB patients associated with type 2 DM significantly depart from the typical presentation. Type 2 DM seems to have a negative effect on treatment outcome of PTB.

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Antitubercular Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / complications*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / complications*
  • Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / drug therapy*
  • Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / mortality
  • Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / pathology

Substances

  • Antitubercular Agents