Glucose Intolerance in Pulmonary Tuberculosis: A Case-Control Study

Abstract

PURPOSE: Diabetes mellitus is a recognized risk factor for developing tuberculosis. Whether pulmonary tuberculosis is a risk factor for diabetes? METHODS: It was a case-control study was conducted by the Internal Medicine & Pulmonology department of BIRDEM hospital at Chest disease hospital (NIDCH) Dhaka from January to July 2008. A total of 100 patients were included. Fifty (50%) patients were smear positive pulmonary tuberculosis patients (case) and other 50 (50%) were non-tubercular chest disease patients (control). OGTT was performed according to WHO criteria. RESULTS: Out of 100 patients 11 (11%) had diabetes mellitus (72.72% case vs 27.27% control), 32 (32%) had IGT (56.25% case vs 43.75% control) and 57 (57%) had normal glucose tolerance (42.10% case vs 57.89% control). Forty three (43%) patients had any form of glucose intolerance (60.46% case vs 39.53% control). The mean age (33.28 vs 37.84) and mean BMI (17.21 vs 21.28) of pulmonary tuberculosis patients were significantly lower than the control. Family history of diabetes was present in 39.39% of cases compared to 60.6% of controls. Physical activity was performed more by pulmonary tuberculosis patients (30% case vs 20% control). CONCLUSIONS: So the study shows that in spite of negative predictors for developing diabetes like young age, low body weight, increased physical activity and less history of diabetes in the family, pulmonary tuberculosis patients developed significantly increased glucose intolerance (52% vs 34%) compared to age, sex and stress matched control group.