Diabetes mellitus is strongly associated with tuberculosis in Indonesia

B. Alisjahbana, Reinout Van Crevel, E. Sahiratmadja, M. Den Heijer, A. Maya, E. Istriana, H. Danusantoso, T. H.M. Ottenhoff, R. H.H. Nelwan, J. W.M. Van Der Meer

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Abstract

SETTING: Diabetes mellitus is a known risk factor for tuberculosis (TB), but no studies have been reported from South-East Asia, which has a high burden of TB and a rapidly growing prevalence of diabetes. OBJECTIVE: To examine if and to what extent diabetes is associated with an increased risk of TB in an urban setting in Indonesia. DESIGN: Case-control study comparing the prevalence of diabetes mellitus (fasting blood glucose level >126 mg/dl) among newly diagnosed pulmonary TB patients and matched neighbourhood controls. RESULTS: Patients and control subjects had a similar age (median 30 years) and sex distribution (52% male), but malnutrition was more common among TB patients (median body mass index 17.7 vs. 21.5 kg/m2). HIV infection was uncommon (1.5% of patients). Diabetes mellitus was present in 60 of 454 TB patients (13.2%) and 18 of 556 (3.2%) control subjects (OR 4.7; 95%CI 2.7-8.1). Adjustment for possible confounding factors did not reduce the risk estimates. Following anti-tuberculosis treatment, hyperglycaemia reverted in a minority (3.7%) of TB patients. CONCLUSION: Diabetes mellitus is strongly associated with TB in young and non-obese subjects in an urban setting in Indonesia. This may have implications for TB control and patient care in this region.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)696-700
Number of pages5
JournalInternational journal of tuberculosis and lung disease
Volume10
Issue number6
Publication statusPublished - Jun 2006

Keywords

  • Case-control study
  • Diabetes mellitus type 2
  • Indonesia
  • Pulmonary
  • Relative odds
  • Tuberculosis

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