People with diabetes up to 2-3 times higher risk of TB
[To listen to audio podcast of CNS Exclusive interview with Dr Anil Kapur on TB-diabetes, click here]
People with diabetes are at a high risk of tuberculosis (TB). “There are several studies that have been done, there are systematic reviews that have been done which indicates that people with diabetes might have 2 to 3 times higher risk of getting TB” said Dr Anil Kapur, President of the World Diabetes Foundation (WDF). “Not only that, patients with TB and associated diabetes, have increased mortality. The risk of mortality is much higher in TB patients who have co-existing diabetes. There are also evidences to suggest that when there is co-existing diabetes it takes longer for the sputum to become negative (for TB) with anti-tubercular treatment” said Dr Anil Kapur. Read more
“There are also suggestions that there are interactions between drugs that are used for treating tuberculosis and managing diabetes, which would affect both the treatment of TB and diabetes. Also there is an issue that because of TB, people who are at risk of diabetes and are not at this stage dealing with diabetes (although they may be having pre-diabetes), so when there is a serious infection like TB, this temporarily leads to a phase where blood sugar levels are up, of course blood sugar levels come down when TB is brought under control. But none-the-less these people (with TB) remain at high risk of getting diabetes in the future” further explained Dr Anil Kapur.
According to a research study done by the University of Texas School of Public Health Brownsville Regional Campus, people with type-II diabetes might be at greater risk for contracting TB. This study also further suggested that: