The influence of diabetes, glycemic control, and diabetes-related comorbidities on pulmonary tuberculosis

Background: To assess the influence of diabetes mellitus (DM), glycemic control, and diabetes-related comorbidities on manifestations and outcome of treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB). Methodology/Principal Findings: Culture positive pulmonary TB patients notified to health authorities in three hospitals in Taiwan from 2005-2010 were investigated. Glycemic control was assessed by glycated haemoglobin A1C (HbA1C) and diabetic patients were categorized into 3 groups: HbA1C9%. 1,473 (705 with DM and 768 without DM) patients were enrolled. Of the 705 diabetic patients, 82 (11.6%) had pretreatment HbA1C9%, and 195 (27.7%) had no information of HbA1C. The proportions of patients with any symptom, cough, hemoptysis, tiredness and weight loss were all highest in diabetic patients with HbA1C>9%. In multivariate analysis adjusted for age, sex, smoking, and drug resistance, diabetic patients with HbA1C>9% (adjOR 3.55, 95% CI 2.40-5.25) and HbA1C 7-9% (adjOR 1.62, 95% CI 1.07-2.44) were significantly more likely to be smear positive as compared with non-diabetic patients, but not those with HbA1C