Incident rate and risk factors for tuberculosis among patients with type 2 diabetes: retrospective cohort study in Shanghai, China

Incidence and prevalence of pulmonary tuberculosis among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The epidemic of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) poses a great challenge to pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) control. However, the incidence and prevalence of PTB among T2DM patients has not been fully determined. This meta-analysis aimed to provide the estimation on the global incidence and prevalence of PTB among T2DM patients (T2DM-PTB).

METHODS

Online databases including Web of Science, PubMed, China National Knowledge Infrastructure and Cochrane Library were searched for all relevant studies that reported the incidence or prevalence of T2DM-PTB through 31 January 2022. Pooled incidence and prevalence of T2DM-PTB with 95% confidence interval (CI) was estimated by the random-effect model. All statistical analyses were performed using R software.

RESULTS

A total of 24 studies (14 cohort studies, 10 cross-sectional studies) were included. The pooled incidence and prevalence of T2DM-PTB were 129.89 per 100,000 person-years (95% confidence interval (CI): 97.55-172.95) and 511.19 per 100,000 (95% CI: 375.94-695.09), respectively. Subgroup analyses identified that the incidence of T2DM-PTB was significantly higher in Asia (187.20 per 100,000 person-years, 95% CI: 147.76-237.17), in countries with a high TB burden (172.04 per 100,000 person-years, 95% CI: 122.98-240.68) and in studies whose data collection ended before 2011 (219.81 per 100,000 person-years, 95% CI: 176.15-274.28), but lower in studies using International Classification of Diseases-10 codes (73.75 per 100,000 person-years, 95% CI: 40.92-132.91). The prevalence of T2DM-PTB was significantly higher in countries with a high TB burden (692.15 per 100,000, 95% CI: 468.75-1022.04), but lower in Europe (105.01 per 100,000, 95% CI: 72.55-151.98).

CONCLUSIONS

This systematic review and meta-analysis suggests high global incidence and prevalence of PTB among T2DM patients, underlining the necessity of more preventive interventions among T2DM patients especially in countries with a high TB-burden. Key messagesA total of 24 studies (14 cohort studies, 10 cross-sectional studies) containing 2,569,451 T2DM patients were included in this meta-analysis.The pooled incidence and prevalence of T2DM-PTB are 129.89 per 100,000 person-years (95% CI: 97.55-172.95) and 511.19 per 100,000 (95% CI: 375.94-695.09) respectively.The incidence of T2DM-PTB was significantly higher in Asia, in countries with a high TB burden and in studies whose data collection ended before 2011, but lower in studies using International Classification of Diseases-10 codes.The prevalence of T2DM-PTB was significantly higher in countries with a high TB-burden, but lower in Europe.

Lifestyle changes and risk of tuberculosis in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A nationwide cohort study

We investigated the impacts of lifestyle changes, namely, smoking, alcohol intake, and exercise, on the development of tuberculosis (TB) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). A retrospective population-based cohort study used data from the Korean National Health Insurance system database. We examined subjects diagnosed with T2DM and without previous history of TB between 2009 and 2012 who underwent two serial health examinations. The study participants were classified into each of the four groups based on changes in the patterns of smoking, alcohol intake, and exercise at the time of the second examination. The outcome of the study was newly diagnosed TB in patients with T2DM. Among 1,659,804 included subjects, TB was newly diagnosed with 10,288 subjects. Both consistent smokers (HR 1.406; 95% CI 1.333-1.483) and new smokers (HR 1.185; 95% CI 1.063-1.320) had a higher TB risk than smoking quitters (HR 1.107; 95% CI 1.009-1.216) and never smokers. Both consistent heavy drinkers (HR 1.281; 95% CI 1.172-1.399) and heavy drinking quitters (HR 1.247; 95% CI 1.147-1.356) had a higher TB risk than new heavy drinkers and never drinkers. With respect to exercise, persistent non-exercisers (HR 1.309; 95% CI 1.72-1.399) and exercise quitters (HR 1.164; 95% CI 1.066-1.271) had a higher TB risk than new exercisers. In the subgroup analysis, a significant interaction was observed between lifestyle changes and age. We found that lifestyle changes were associated with development of TB in patients with T2DM. These results suggest that lifestyle management could be a valuable strategy for control of TB in Korea.

Implementation of the WHO's collaborative framework for the management of tuberculosis and diabetes: a scoping review

OBJECTIVE

To map evidence on the implementation of the WHO's collaborative framework for the management of tuberculosis (TB) and diabetes mellitus (DM) comorbidity, globally.

DESIGN

Scoping review.

METHODS

Guided by Arksey and O'Malley's scoping review framework, this review mapped literature on the global implementation of the framework for the management of TB and DM comorbidity, globally. An extensive literature search for peer-reviewed studies, theses, studies in the press and a list of references from the selected studies was conducted to source-eligible studies. PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science, Science Direct, the EBSCOhost platform (academic search complete, health source: nursing/academic edition, CINAHL with full text), Scopus and the WHO library were used to source the literature. We performed title screening of articles using keywords in the databases, after which two independent reviewers (RS and PV) screened abstracts and full articles. Studies from August 2011 to May 2021 were included in this review and the screening was guided by the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Findings were analysed using the thematic content analysis approach and results presented in the form of a narrative report. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis extension was used as a checklist and for explaining the scoping review process.

RESULTS

This review found evidence of the WHO TB-DM collaborative framework's implementation in 35 countries across the globe. TB-DM comorbidity was identified in patients through bidirectional screening of both patients with TB and patients with DM in rural and urban settings.

CONCLUSION

Due to the paucity of evidence on mechanisms of collaboration, we recommend further research in other implementing countries to identify techniques used for diagnosis and integration of TB and DM services, in order to ensure that effective and joint management of TB-DM comorbidity in populations is achieved.

Metformin as a potential protective therapy against tuberculosis in patients with diabetes mellitus: A retrospective cohort study in a single teaching hospital

AIMS/INTRODUCTION

The convergence of tuberculosis (TB) and diabetes mellitus (DM) is a new challenge in Asia as a result of the rising prevalence of diabetes mellitus with higher TB infection rates, and also because diabetes mellitus itself enhances TB disease activity and consequently the spread of TB. We aimed to address the risk presented by diabetes mellitus for TB infection.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Patients with diabetes mellitus were retrospectively recruited. The baseline assessments included age, sex, body mass index, fasting blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin, urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio and estimated glomerular filtration rate. TB was determined by meeting the international classification of disease, for TB diagnosis and receiving anti-TB treatment for at least 2 months.

RESULTS

In total, 9,750 individuals with diabetes mellitus were recruited. The event rate of TB was 47 (0.48%). Younger age, lower proportion of men, higher fasting blood glucose and glycated hemoglobin values, and better renal function (estimated glomerular filtration rate and urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio) were observed in the metformin-exposed groups. Old age and male sex were associated with higher TB infection risk on multivariate analysis. Metformin users had a significantly lower risk for TB infection, whereas insulin users had a higher risk for TB infection. However, glycemic status had no effect on TB infection risk.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides clinical evidence from a survey of TB in individuals with diabetes mellitus. Old age, male sex and insulin use were risk factors for TB infection. Metformin remains the first choice of treatment for diabetes mellitus and has a potential protective effect against TB infection.

The association of glycemic level and prevalence of tuberculosis: a meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Diabetes is a well-known risk factor for tuberculosis and poorly glycemic control may increase the risk of tuberculosis. We performed a meta-analysis to explore the association of glycemic control in diabetic patients and their tuberculosis prevalence.

METHODS

We included observational studies that investigated the prevalence of tuberculosis associated with glycemic control. The markers of glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and fasting plasma glucose were used to evaluate the exposure of interest in the study. We searched related articles in PubMed, EMBASE and Web of Science through 14 December 2019. The Newcastle-Ottawa scale was used to assess the risk of bias of included studies.

RESULTS

Seventeen studies (four cohort studies, five case-control studies and eight cross-sectional studies) were included, involving 1,027,074 participants. The meta-analysis found the pooled odds ratio of prevalent tuberculosis increased a 2.05-fold (95%CI: 1.65, 2.55) for the patients with HbA1c ≥7.0% compared to those with HbA1c concentration < 7.0%. Furthermore, we found the mean of HbA1c was higher in the diabetes mellitus with tuberculosis group than the diabetes-only group (P = 0.002). In the sensitivity analysis, the finding remains consistent.

CONCLUSION

Our study provides the evidence that poorly controlled diabetes in diabetics may be associated with increased prevalence of tuberculosis. More efforts should focus on screening tuberculosis in uncontrolled diabetes.

Prevalence and associated factors of psychological distress in tuberculosis patients in Northeast China: a cross-sectional study

Background

Psychological distress, a major comorbidities of tuberculosis (TB) patients, has posed a serious threat to the progress being made in global TB programs by affecting treatment adherence and health outcomes. However, the magnitude and associated factors of psychological distress have not been fully studied in China. The aim of the current study was to assess the prevalence of psychological distress in TB patients and to further determine the effects of socio-demographic characteristics, health-related variables, substance use status, social support, and experienced stigma on psychological distress.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among TB patients attending three medical institutions in Dalian, Liaoning Province, Northeast China from November 2020 to March 2021. A structured questionnaire was developed to collect data on patients’ socio-demographic characteristics, health-related information, substance use status, psychological distress, family function, doctor-patient relationship, policy support, experienced stigma and so on. The binary logistics regression model was used to determine the associated factors of psychological distress.

Results

A total of 473 TB patients were enrolled in this study, and the prevalence of psychological distress was 64.1%. Binary logistic regression analysis revealed that patients with a middle school education level or above (OR: 0.521, 95%CI: 0.279–0.974), no adverse drug reactions (OR: 0.476, 95%CI: 0.268–0.846), and regular physical exercise (OR: 0.528, 95%CI: 0.281–0.993) were more likely to stay away from psychological distress. However, patients who had a high economic burden (OR: 1.697, 95%CI: 1.014–2.840), diabetes (OR: 2.165, 95%CI: 1.025–4.573), self-rated illness severe (OR: 3.169, 95%CI: 1.081–9.285), perceived poor resistance (OR: 2.065, 95%CI: 1.118–3.815), severe family dysfunction (OR: 4.001, 95%CI: 1.158–13.823), perceived need for strengthen psychological counseling (OR: 4.837, 95%CI: 2.833–8.258), and a high experienced stigma (OR: 3.253, 95%CI: 1.966–5.384) tended to have a psychological distress.

Conclusions

The study found that the proportion of psychological distress among TB patients was high in Northeast China, and it was influenced by a variety of factors. Effective interventions to reduce psychological distress in TB patients urgently need to be developed, and greater attention should be given to patients with risk factors.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12879-021-06284-4.

High tuberculosis incidence among people living with diabetes in Indonesia

BACKGROUND

Data regarding the incidence of tuberculosis (TB) among people living with diabetes (PLWD) in TB-endemic settings are scarce. We examined TB incidence among PLWD in Indonesia who had previously been screened for latent TB infection (LTBI) and TB disease.

METHODS

PLWD (≥18 y of age) in an urban setting were examined a mean 3.4 y after they had been screened for active TB and LTBI. Data on subsequent TB diagnosis were collected by interview and with chest X-ray, sputum smear and Mycobacterium tuberculosis culture. TB incidence rates were stratified for baseline LTBI status, as determined by the QuantiFERON interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA).

RESULTS

Of 590 PLWD, 101 had died and 163 could not be contacted or refused. Among the 326 who were re-examined, 6 (1.8%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.7 to 4.0) reported being diagnosed already and a further 5 were diagnosed with active TB (1.5%; 95% CI 0.50 to 3.5). The TB incidence rate was 9.85 (95% CI 4.03 to 15.68) per 1000 person-years. TB incidence was higher among PLWD with baseline LTBI (17.13; 95% CI 5.25 to 29.00/1000 person-years) compared with those without LTBI (4.79; 95% CI -0.63 to 10.21), with an incidence rate ratio of 3.57 (95% CI 0.86 to 20.92; p=0.054).

CONCLUSIONS

PLWD with LTBI in Indonesia and similar settings are likely to benefit from TB preventive therapy.

Anemia, sarcopenia, physical activity, and the risk of tuberculosis in the older population: a nationwide cohort study

Background:

The aim of this study was to investigate whether physical activity, sarcopenia, and anemia are associated an with increased risk of tuberculosis (TB) among the older population.

Methods:

We included 1,245,640 66-year-old subjects who participated in the National Screening Program for Transitional Ages for Koreans from 2009 to 2014. At baseline, we assessed common health problems in the older population, including anemia and sarcopenia. The subjects’ performance in the timed up-and-go (TUG) test was used to predict sarcopenia. The incidence of TB was determined using claims data from the National Health Insurance Service database.

Results:

The median follow-up duration was 6.4 years. There was a significant association between the severity of anemia and TB incidence, with an adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) of 1.28 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.20–1.36] for mild anemia and 1.69 (95% CI, 1.51–1.88) for moderate to severe anemia. Compared with those who had normal TUG times, participants with slow TUG times (⩾15 s) had a significantly increased risk of TB (aHR 1.19, 95% CI, 1.07–1.33). On the other hand, both irregular (aHR 0.88, 95% CI 0.83–0.93) and regular (aHR 0.84, 95% CI, 0.78–0.92) physical activity reduced the risk of TB. Male sex, lower income, alcohol consumption, smoking, diabetes, and asthma/chronic obstructive pulmonary disease increased the risk of TB.

Conclusion:

The risk of TB among older adults increased with worsening anemia, sarcopenia, and physical inactivity. Physicians should be aware of those modifiable predictors for TB among the older population.

Increased vegetable and fruit intake is associated with reduced failure rate of tuberculosis treatment: a hospital-based cohort study in China

Increased intake of vegetables and fruits has been associated with reduced risk of tuberculosis infection. Vegetables and fruits exert immunoregulatory effects; however, it is not clear whether vegetables and fruits have an adjuvant treatment effect on tuberculosis. Between 2009 and 2013, a hospital-based cohort study was conducted in Linyi, Shandong Province, China. Treatment outcome was ascertained by sputum smear and chest computerised tomography, and dietary intake was assessed by a semi-quantitative FFQ. The dietary questionnaire was conducted at the end of month 2 of treatment initiation. Participants recalled their dietary intake of the previous 2 months. A total of 2309 patients were enrolled in this study. After 6 months of treatment, 2099 patients were successfully treated and 210 were uncured. In multivariate models, higher intake of total vegetables and fruits (OR 0·70; 95 % CI 0·49, 0·99), total vegetables (OR 0·68; 95 % CI 0·48, 0·97), dark-coloured vegetables (OR 0·61; 95 % CI 0·43, 0·86) and light-coloured vegetables (OR 0·67; 95 % CI 0·48, 0·95) were associated with reduced failure rate of tuberculosis treatment. No association was found between total fruit intake and reduced failure rate of tuberculosis treatment (OR 0·98; 95 % CI 0·70, 1·37). High intake of total vegetables and fruits, especially vegetables, is associated with lower risk of failure of tuberculosis treatment in pulmonary tuberculosis patients. The results provide important information for dietary guidelines during tuberculosis treatment.

Incidence and Predictors of Tuberculosis among Adult Diabetic Patients, Debre Markos Referral Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia, 2018: A Retrospective Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

Tuberculosis remains a serious global public health problem. It mainly affects the lungs, and occurs in every part of the world. The link between tuberculosis and diabetes mellitus is essential to inform programs and policies, yet there is a scarcity of information in our study area. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the incidence and predictors of tuberculosis among diabetic patients at Debre Markos Referral Hospital, northwest Ethiopia.

METHODS

This institutionally based retrospective cohort study was undertaken among 433 diabetic patients of Debre Markos Referral Hospital between January 2013 and December 2017. All eligible diabetic patients who met the inclusion criteria were included in the study. Data were entered using EpiData version 3.1 and analyzed using Stata version 14. The survival time of diabetic patients was estimated using Kaplan-Meier survival curves, and survival time among different categorical variables compared using the log-rank test. Both bivariate and multivariate Coxproportional-hazard regression models were fitted to identify independent predictors of tuberculosis among diabetic patients.

RESULTS

Among the cohort of 43326 (6%) developed tuberculosis during follow-up. The overall tuberculosis-incidence rate was 2.4 per 100 with 95% CI. The total time allotted to follow up the study participants was 1,101.5 person-years. Using multivariate Cox regression analysis, history of alcohol consumption (adjusted incidence ratio 4, 95% CI 1.2-13; P=0.02) and history of tuberculosis (12, 95% CI 3-39; P=0.01) significantly increased the risk of tuberculosis, but normal body-mass index and above (≥18.5 kg/m2) was associated with a rate reduction (0.34, 95% CI 0.14; P=0.80; 0.03) forincidence of tuberculosis.

CONCLUSION

In this study, we found a high rate of tuberculosis among diabetic patients. Factors significantly linked with increased risk of tuberculosis included history of alcohol consumption, history of tuberculosis, and low body-mass index. Early screening and treatment for tuberculosis is highly recommended at diabetes mellitus follow-up for patients with these risk factors.