Diabetes Increases Risk of Tuberculosis in Tanzania
Author Information
Author(s): Faurholt-Jepsen Daniel, Range Nyagosya, PrayGod George, Jeremiah Kidola, Faurholt-Jepsen Maria, Aabye Martine Grosos, Changalucha John, Christensen Dirk Lund, Pipper Christian Bressen, Krarup Henrik, Witte Daniel Rinse, Andersen Aase Bengaard, Friis Henrik
Primary Institution: Department of Human Nutrition, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
Hypothesis
Is diabetes a risk factor for pulmonary tuberculosis in a population with high HIV prevalence?
Conclusion
Diabetes is a risk factor for tuberculosis in HIV uninfected individuals, while the association in HIV infected patients requires further investigation.
Supporting Evidence
- The prevalence of diabetes was 16.7% among TB cases and 9.4% among controls.
- Diabetes was associated with an odds ratio of 2.2 for TB.
- The association was stronger among HIV uninfected individuals with an odds ratio of 4.2.
Takeaway
People with diabetes are more likely to get tuberculosis, especially if they don't have HIV. This is important because diabetes is becoming more common.
Methodology
A case-control study was conducted among culture-confirmed pulmonary TB patients and non-TB neighborhood controls in Mwanza, Tanzania, using logistic regression to analyze the association between diabetes and TB.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to the selection of controls and the reliance on self-reported data.
Limitations
The study may have limitations related to reverse causality and the generalizability of findings to other populations.
Participant Demographics
Participants included 803 TB cases and 350 controls, with a mean age of approximately 34 years; 43.2% of cases were HIV infected.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Confidence Interval
95% CI: 1.5; 3.4
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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