Frequency of pulmonary tuberculosis in patients with diabetes mellitus

Background: Pakistan ranks sixth in terms of tuberculosis burden. The frequency of tuberculosis in diabetics is reported to be four times higher than in non-diabetics. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of pulmonary tuberculosis in admitted patients of diabetes mellitus.Material Methods: Patients of diabetes mellitus admitted to Medical Unit A, Hayatabad Medical Complex, Peshawar, from 1st August 2010 to 31st July 2011, were studied. Routine investigations including blood complete, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, fasting and random blood glucose, were carried out in all patients. Three early morning sputum smears for acid fast bacilli and x-ray chest and bronchoalveolar lavage were the main tools for diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis.Results: A total of 100 patients with diabetes mellitus were admitted during the study period. Out of them, 54 patients were males, and 46 females. Fourteen (14%) of these patients were diagnosed as having pulmonary tuberculosis. Fever was the commonest presenting symptom of tuberculosis and was present in 75%, followed by cough in 56%, and hemoptysis in 17% patients. Cavitating lesions were seen on chest x-ray in (35.7%) and pleural effusion in (28.5%) of these patients.Conclusion: Pulmonary tuberculosis is common in patients with diabetes mellitus. Fever and cough are the common presenting symptoms