Clinical Profile of Sputum Positive Pulmonary Tuberculosis Patients with Diabetes Mellitus in a Teaching Hospital at Jamnagar, Gujarat

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a known risk factor for tuberculosis (TB). Presently, little is known about the effect of DM on the clinical presentation of TB. The aim of the study was to evaluate the clinical features of pulmonary TB in diabetics in our region. Methods: The present prospective observational study was carried out on all consecutive smear-positive pulmonary TB patients with DM admitted in department of pulmonary medicine, Guru Gobind Sing Hospital & Shree M. P. Shah Medical College, Jamnagar, between October 2005 to September 2006. Results: Total 38 cases were included in study. The male: female ratio was 2.8:1. The mean (± standard deviation) age of was 50.5 (± 13.5) years. The majority of patients were between 51-60 years. The incidence was started to rise from the age of 30 years and declined from the age 61 years. Elderly patients (age >50 years) had less incidence of fever, chest pain, haemoptysis and higher incidence of dyspnoea as compared to young adults (age < 50 years). Conclusion: A diagnosis of TB should be considered in diabetics with an abnormal chest radiograph, in the presence or absence of specific clinical symptoms, in endemic regions. Level of blood sugar and age doesn’t affect much in bacteriological and radiological presentation of pulmonary TB except the cavities which is more common in patients with uncontrolled diabetes. Insulin requirement to control the blood sugar in patients with pulmonary TB doesn’t depend on the bacteriological and radiological extent of disease.