Nutritional status in patients with tuberculosis and diabetes mellitus: A comparative observational study.

BACKGROUND

India has been estimated to have 14 % of malnourished population and a high TB incidence burden with a 26.9 lakh cases. Malnutrition and diabetes mellitus are major risk factors for tuberculosis infection. Malnutrition in patients with both tuberculosis and diabetes (TB-DM) population worsens the disease severity, treatment outcomes and increases morbidity and mortality risk.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the nutritional status in patients with TB-DM compared with patients with TB and DM alone.

METHOD

Records from January 2016 to November 2020 for patients admitted to Kasturba Hospital, Manipal were assessed. Data pertaining to glycemic parameters, nutritional parameters, and other relevant laboratory parameters were extracted for assessment. The study population were divided into three groups i.e. patients with TB-DM, TB and DM. The statistical association was carried out with one-way ANOVA method, considering p < 0.05 as statistically significant.

RESULTS

A total of 291 patients were included, with 97 patients in each group; among those, male and female were 86.27 % and 13.73 % respectively. Cardiovascular co-morbidity was predominant in the DM (68.04 %) and TB-DM (26.8 %) group. The mean value of HbA1c (10.47 %) was found to be highest for the TB-DM group. Low levels of albumin were reported by 71.91 % of patients of the TB group, whereas 73.68 % patients in TB-DM group had vitamin D deficiency. Moreover, higher prevalence of low MCV and MCH in the TB-DM group suggest an increased risk of iron-deficiency anemia.

CONCLUSION

The findings of our study reflect the need for implementation of nutritional support in patients with TB-DM.