Speakers - 2027

Title: Bidirectional screening of tuberculosis and diabetes mellitus patients in Nepal

Abstract

Background: Nepal faces a rising burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), particularly diabetes. Patients with tuberculosis (TB) are at a heightened risk of developing diabetes, owing to factors such as chronic inflammation, adverse effects of anti-tuberculosis medications, and lifestyle modifications during the course of treatment.  Diabetes patients have a heightened susceptibility to tuberculosis due to compromised immune function, making them more susceptible to infection. Active screening for both diseases is crucial for early diagnosis and reduce tuberculosis transmission and prevent the development of complications of diabetes. This study aims to determine the prevalence of TB among patients with diabetes and the prevalence of diabetes among patient with TB along with the associated risk factors.

Methods: The study design was hospital based quantitative cross-sectional study. Diabetes patients visiting Provincial Public Health Laboratory, Pokhara Academy of Health Sciences and TB patients visiting TB Treatment Center during 27th August -29th November, 2024 timeline were included as study population. Systematic random sampling was done. GeneXpert was performed on sputum samples for diagnosis of tuberculosis. Random blood sugar and HBA1c was measured from blood samples to diagnose diabetes. Data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics, binary and multiple logistic regression analysis through SPSS version.22.

Results: A total of 360 (180 from each group) were interviewed. The prevalence of diabetes among TB patients was 12.20% and TB among diabetes patients was 14.40%.  Age, co-morbid conditions and HIV status were found to be predictors having diabetes among tuberculosis patients whereas, education status and presence of TB symptoms were found to be predictors having tuberculosis among diabetes patients.

Conclusion: The study concludes that nearly one in tenth respondents had tuberculosis among diabetes patients and vice versa. Encourage diabetes patients to attend regular follow-up visits to monitor tuberculosis and tuberculosis patients for diabetes is crucial. The research contributes to the evidence base that informs policies and practices and help to understand the necessity of integrated screening and management strategies to address the dual burden of tuberculosis and diabetes effectively.

Keywords: Prevalence, Diabetes mellitus, Tuberculosis, Nepal