Title:Diabetes and TB: Confluence of Two Epidemic and Its Effect on Clinical
Presentation
Volume: 20
Issue: 1
Author(s): Kumudha Dhamotharaswamy, Hemalatha Selvaraj*, Padmashree Lakshmanaperumal, Harsha R., Anuja S. Sasankan, Prabha Thangavelu, Menaka K. and Sivakumar Thangavel
Affiliation:
- Nandha College of Pharmacy, Erode, Tamil Nadu,
India
Keywords:
Tuberculosis, diabetes mellitus, immune system, risk, screening, chronic.
Abstract:
Background: Tuberculosis (TB) has become a rising concern in low-income countries,
particularly in those with Human Immuno Deficiency Virus (HIV) epidemics, and type 2 diabetes
has emerged as a significant global chronic health problem, owing to increases in obesity, lifestyle
changes, and ageing populations. Diabetes has been identified as a major risk factor for the development
of TB. Despite the fact that diabetes imparts a substantially lower risk of TB (3-fold) as
compared to HIV (>20-fold), in communities where the number of DM patients is high, the contribution
of diabetes to TB might be bigger than HIV.
Methods: This review will focus on the link between TB and diabetes, which is now one of the
most important topics for physicians since diabetes impacts the clinical presentation and outcome
of TB and vice versa.
Results: Though TB is more common in type 1 diabetes, the extent of the problem in type 2 diabetes
should be taken into account with equal care, as type 2 diabetes affects a substantially higher
number of individuals.
Conclusions: Diabetes patients are more vulnerable to infections because of their impaired immune
systems. Increased glucose level leads to a rise in the infection status among TB patients and
also leads to a rise in various complications. Extensive and increased screening for both TB and
DM over years can help diagnose disease priorly and help in better management. TB, when diagnosed
in its early stages, can be easily eradicated.
