Introduction: We performed a retrospective case control study for the period between 1st January 1999 and 31st August 2004, comparing the radiological appearances of tuberculosis in 100 diabetics to those in patients matched for age and sex, with pulmonary TB alone presenting to The Chest clinic of the National Hospital of Fann.
Methods and results: Diabetes was present in 4.7% of the 2116 patients hospitalized for pulmonary tuberculosis during the period of study and occurred more commonly in men (60%) with an average age of 51 years (73%). 82% had type II, non-insulin dependent diabetes. The various types of radiological lesions classically described in tuberculosis were found in nearly identical proportions in the two groups of patients, with parenchymal shadowing the most frequent appearance in both diabetics (N=86) and controls (N=88). Cavitation occurred significantly less frequently in diabetics (72%) than controls (88%) (p=0.04). Where radiological abnormalities were bilateral, they were worse on the left in the diabetics (27% versus 15% in controls). There was a trend for basal lesions to occur more frequently in diabetics (15%) than controls (3%) (p=0.06).
Conclusion: Mortality was higher in diabetics (18%) than controls (6%), with death generally occurring within the first 24 hours of hospitalization.