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According to researchers at The University of Texas School of Public Health Brownsville Regional Campus, patients with Type 2 diabetes may be at highest risk of possible tuberculosis because they usually have a compromised immune system, which results in life-threatening lung infections that are tricky to treat.

The researchers revealed that three studies carried out by them had shown that type 2 diabetes, especially when it engrosses chronic high blood sugar, is linked with altered immune response to TB.

They further stated that their studies also showed that patients with diabetes and TB take longer to react to anti-TB treatment, and that patients with active tuberculosis and Type 2 diabetes are more likely to have multi-drug resistant TB.

Writing about their findings in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases, the researchers stated that the immune systems of patients with Type 2 diabetes and tuberculosis could react differently as compared to patients with TB alone.

Diabetes results in the body’s ineffective use of insulin. If left uncontrolled, the chronic high sugar in the bloodstream can affect the critical immune system and damage the body’s systems, especially the nerves, the retina of the eyes and blood vessels.

According to researchers “More deep knowledge of the underlying mechanisms should concentrate on the effect of chronic hyperglycemia on the immune response to help in understanding the improved susceptibility of diabetic patients with tuberculosis.”

The team said that their findings also revealed that patients with diabetes were more at risk of developing multi-drug resistant tuberculosis.

The researchers stated that they had examined that almost six percent of diabetics living along the Texas-Mexico border had TB that was resistant to rifampin and isoniazid, common medications for tuberculosis.

They further added that 30 percent of those with multi-drug resistant tuberculosis also had Type 2 diabetes.

According to Dr Joseph B McCormick, the senior author of the three studies, the findings of the research cast new light on a long-known correlation between diabetes and tuberculosis.

“It opens a door to do something about it. We can educate physicians and offer more TB screenings. We have a chance to ensure that patients are diagnosed correctly and there is no stoppage in diagnosis,” said McCormick, the university’s James H Steele Professor.

“The classic TB patient in this country is a younger male in an urban setting who may have alcohol and drug abuse troubles and be HIV-infected. Our research reported that older female patients who have never been in jail and have no history of alcohol and drug abuse or HIV infection are at risk of contracting TB if they have diabetes,” she added.

Also “I think we are revealing a very vital association between TB and diabetes that had pretty well been overlooked. The public health aspect is that we are trying to ensure that we can prevent and treat these patients, and when they are TB-infected, treat them better.”

She suggested that doctors screen patients for TB if they have diabetes and a chronic cough, and that patients with Type 2 diabetes should take precautions. If they are visiting an area where there is a lot TB, they are required to get alert. TB spreads in crowded places with poor ventilation.

Tags: health tips, TB, tuberculosis, type 2 diabetes



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