Tuberculosis-Related Diabetes: Is It Reversible after Complete Treatment?

Huma Aftab Section of Global Health, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark;

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Dirk L. Christensen Section of Global Health, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark;

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Atiqa Ambreen Gulab Devi Chest Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan;

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Mohammad Jamil Gulab Devi Chest Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan;

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Peter Garred Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Department of Clinical Immunology, Section 7631, Rigshospitalet, Denmark;

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Jørgen H. Petersen Section of Biostatistics, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark;

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Susanne D. Nielsen Department of Infectious Diseases, Rigshospitalet, Denmark

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Ib C. Bygbjerg Section of Global Health, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark;

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Individuals with newly diagnosed tuberculosis (TB) were screened for diabetes (DM) with fasting plasma glucose (FPG) in Pakistan. A significant decrease in FPG was observed when TB was treated. Of those with newly diagnosed DM, 46% and 62% no longer had hyperglycemia after 3 and 6 months, respectively. Individuals with known DM also showed a significant decrease in fasting plasma levels when treated for TB, but after 3 months none had normoglycemia, and after 6 months 9.2% were normoglycemic. Thus, TB-related DM may abate when the stress terminates, as is the case in gestational DM. However, because stress hyperglycemia may be associated with subsequent risk of developing DM, follow-up is recommended.

Author Notes

Address correspondence to Huma Aftab, Section of Global Health, University of Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 5, building 9, 1014 Copenhagen K, Denmark. E-mail: huma@sund.ku.dk

Financial support: This work was supported by Augustinusfonden; Christian and Dommer Ellens Larsens Legat; Novo Nordisk fonden; and Thorvald Madsens Legat til Fremme af Lægevidenskabelig Forskning.

Authors’ addresses: Huma Aftab and Dirk L. Christensen, University of Copenhagen, Global Health Section, Copenhagen K, Denmark, E-mails: huma@sund.ku.dk and dirklc@sund.ku.dk. Atiqa Ambreen and Mohammad Jamil, Gulab Devi Chest Hospital, Microbiology, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan, E-mails: atiqaambren@gmail.com and muhammadjamildr70@gmail.com. Peter Garred, Copenhagen University Hospital, Department of Clinical Immunology, Copenhagen, Denmark, E-mail: garred@post5.tele.dk. Jørgen H. Petersen, University of Copenhagen, Section of Biostatistics, Department of Public Health, Copenhagen K, New York, E-mail: jhp@sund.ku.dk. Susanne D. Nielsen, Rigshospitalet, Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen, Denmark, E-mail: sdn@dadlnet.dk. Ib C. Bygbjerg, University of Copenhagen, Section of Global Health, Copenhagen K, Denmark, E-mail: iby@sund.ku.dk.

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