Abstract:

Background: Tuberculosis Increase the risk of glucose abnormalities. Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest prevalence of tuberculosis due HIV co-infection, and diabetes mellitus (DM) has been significantly increasing in this region. There is paucity of data in Tanzania and sub Saharan Africa concerning the prevalence and factors associated with diabetes mellitus among adult patients with pulmonary tuberculosis.

Objectives: To determine the prevalence, pattern and factors associated with glucose abnormalities among adult patients with pulmonary tuberculosis attending at Bugando Medial Centre, Sekou Toure Regional Hospital and Nyamagana District Hospital.

Methods: This was a Hospital based cross sectional study. Consented patients aged 18 years and above with a diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis were screened for glucose abnormalities using fasting blood glucose, oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), and glycosylated haemoglobin (HbAIc) according to WHO guidelines.

Results: The prevalence of glucose abnormalities was 29.8%. Impaired fasting blood glucose (IFG) was found in 23 (19%); 5 patients (21.7%) had impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), newly diagnosed diabetes mellitus was found in 15 (12.4%). After univariable analysis, family history of DM was associated with DM among patients with PTB (OR 9.1% CI 2.0 – 40.2, p=0.003), however age, HIV co-morbidity and CD4 count had no association (OR 1.0, 95% CI 0.96-1.04, p=0.8; OR 0.7, 95% CI 0.3-1.3, p=0.3; OR 1.0, 95% CI 0.9-1.0, p=0.1, respectively), after multivariable logistic regression there were no statistically significant associations with DM.

Conclusion: This study that glucose metabolism disorders are prevalent among adult patient with PTB in Mwanza. HIV co-morbidity was not associated with DM.