Study of risk factors for pulmonary tuberculosis among diabetes mellitus patients

People with diabetes mellitus (DM) are at high risk of developing tuberculosis (TB) than those without. People with diabetes are more likely to fail treatment and to die during treatment compared to those without diabetes. The aim of the current study was to study the risk factors for pulmonary tuberculosis among diabetic patients in comparison to patients with DM alone. 160 patients were grouped into two groups, the first group, 80 patients (DM-TB) group, and the second group, 80 patients, diabetics with chest diseases other than TB. All patients were subjected to meticulous history taking, clinical examination, radiological examination, and laboratory investigations. All data were statistically analyzed. In this study the mean age of the DM-TB group was 52.90±11.12years and 54.57±9.84years for DM group. There was no statistically significant difference in gender, smoking, and DM treatment compliance between the two groups. There was a highly statistically significant difference in body mass index (BMI), Hashish, Banjo and Tramadol addiction, poor glycemic control, lower hemoglobin levels, platelet count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate and lower serum protein and albumin. Bilateral affection was found in 45% and 21.5% in lower lobe in DM-TB. From the current work it could be concluded that the factors determinant of pulmonary tuberculosis among diabetics are weight loss, decreased BMI, drug addiction, uncontrolled diabetes, higher rates of HbA1c, increased insulin requirements, anemia, higher ESR, higher platelet count and decreased serum proteins and albumin.