Diabetes prevalence and its impact on health-related quality of life in tuberculosis patients.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM), assess its influence on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among patients with TB.

METHODS

In this prospective study, eligible patients at three primary healthcare centres in urban slum region of south Delhi, India, underwent blood glucose screening at treatment initiation. HRQoL scores were determined by conducting face-to-face interviews using Dhingra and Rajpal (DR-12) scale at pre-treatment, end of intensive phase and end of the treatment.

RESULTS

In 316 patients, the overall DM prevalence was 15.8%, of whom 9.5% were known to have diabetes, and 6.3% were diagnosed at TB treatment initiation. DM was more common among patients of older age (P < 0.001), with higher BMI (P < 0.001), with PTB (P = 0.02) and with poor psychological status. HRQoL was significantly poor in the socio-psychological & exercise adaptation domain in patients with DM ˃50 years of age at each visit. Older age, poor literacy, loss in workdays, alcohol use and socio-economic status significantly predict poor HRQoL scores in patients with DM. Uncontrolled DM patients demonstrated poor HRQoL at the end of the intensive phase (P = 0.04) of treatment and at its completion (P = 0.03) compared to those with controlled DM.

CONCLUSION

Addressing screening measures and glycaemic control along with social determinants such as literacy level and alcohol consumption could be an important means of improving the HRQoL of TB with DM patients.