The relationship between computed tomography appearance of pulmonary tuberculosis and blood glucose levels in 763 diabetes mellitus patients with pulmonary tuberculosis: a comparative study

Characteristics of atypical Pulmonary Tuberculosis without typical clinical features diagnosed by pathology

PURPOSE

Some patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) do not display typical clinical features, leading to delays in diagnosis and treatment.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed PTB patients admitted to the Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University between 2017 and 2020. They are divided into pathological group (diagnosed through pathological biopsy) and control group (diagnosed via sputum or lavage fluid). Clinical data of both groups were compared. Based on radiographic features, the pathological group was further divided into the inflammation group, peripheral nodule group, and central occupancy group. We then statistically analyzed the computed tomography (CT) signs, bronchoscopic manifestations and results of pathological biopsy for each subgroup.

RESULTS

The pathological group consisted of 75 patients, while the control group had 338 patients. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the pathological group had more diabetes (OR = 3.266, 95% CI = 1.609-6.630, P = 0.001), lower ESR (OR = 0.984, 95% CI = 0.971-0.998, P = 0.022), and lower CRP (OR = 0.990, 95% CI = 0.980-0.999, P = 0.036). In the three subgroups, the exudative lesions in the inflammation group were mostly located in atypical areas of PTB. The lobulation sign and spiculation sign were frequently observed in the peripheral nodule group. All presented with significant hilar mediastinal lymphadenopathy in the central occupancy group. In the pathological group, bronchoscopic manifestations typically included mucosal edema and bronchial stenosis.

CONCLUSION

Diabetes is an independent risk factor for atypical PTB. Expression of erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) in atypical PTB is low. Radiologically, it is most easily misdiagnosed when presented as peripheral solid nodules or masses, so a biopsy is recommended.

Pulmonary tuberculosis and diabetes mellitus: Epidemiology, pathogenesis and therapeutic management (Review)

The dual burden of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) and diabetes mellitus (DM) is a major global public health concern. There is increasing evidence to indicate an association between PTB and DM. DM is associated with immune dysfunction and altered immune components. Hyperglycemia weakens the innate immune response by affecting the function of macrophages, dendritic cells, neutrophils, and natural killer cells, and also disrupts the adaptive immune response, thus promoting the susceptibility of PTB in patients with DM. Antituberculosis drugs often cause the impairment of liver and kidney function in patients with PTB, and the infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis weaken pancreatic endocrine function by causing islet cell amyloidosis, which disrupts glucose metabolism and thus increases the risk of developing DM in patients with PTB. The present review discusses the association between PTB and DM from the perspective of epidemiology, pathogenesis, and treatment management. The present review aims to provide information for the rational formulation of treatment strategies for patients with PTB-DM.

Comparison of Computed Tomography Findings in Lung Tuberculosis in Diabetic and Nondiabetic Patients

BACKGROUND

Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the leading infectious causes of mortality globally. The purpose of this research is to examine the clinical and radiological characteristics of patients with TB and diabetes.

METHODS

The research comprised 276 TB patients, 52 of whom were diabetic and 224 of whom were not. During the evaluation of the patients' clinical histories, age, gender, diagnostic indicator, and whether or not they had undergone prior treatment were questioned, as were the requirement of inpatient treatment and the existence of drug resistance. Radiographically, they were questioned in terms of bilateral-unilateral extent, percentage of parenchymal involvement, cavitation, tree-in-bud appearance, the presence of ground glass, consolidation, miliary involvement, sequela fibrotic changes, parenchymal calcification, mediastinal lymphadenopathy, pleural effusion, and pleural calcification. In addition, segmenting was used to assess involvement in the affected lobes.

RESULTS

When we look at the results of 276 patients, 182 males and 94 females, the mean age is 46.01 ± 17.83. Diabetes and TB coexistence are more prevalent in male individuals (P = 0.029). Smear positivity and the need for inpatient treatment were found to be higher in the clinical features of diabetic patients (P = 0.05 and P = 0.01, respectively). Radiologically, diabetes individuals are more likely to have larger mediastinal lymph nodes (P = 0.032).

CONCLUSION

In the coexistence of both TB and diabetes, there are variations in radiological findings, complexity in treatment response, and patient management.

The Effect of Diabetes Control Status on CT Findings in Pulmonary Tuberculosis: Emphasis on Bronchial Erosive Changes

PURPOSE

Studies on the effect of diabetes mellitus (DM) on the radiologic findings of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) have reported inconsistent results. These findings may have been influenced by the glycemic control status of the patients studied. To our knowledge, no recent data have described the effect of the DM control status on CT findings in PTB in terms of medium-sized airway involvement that is visualized as bronchial erosion on CT. The aim of this present study was to determine whether the DM control status influenced radiological manifestations in patients with PTB, with an emphasis on bronchial erosive changes.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective single-center study on patients who were newly diagnosed with PTB. A total of 426 consecutive patients with PTB who underwent CT scans at the time of diagnosis from 1 January 2017 to 31 March 2020 were included in this study. The included patients were categorized as having no DM (non-DM), controlled DM, or uncontrolled DM. The patient medical charts, microbiology study results, and pulmonary changes on the CT scans were analyzed.

RESULTS

Among 426 patients with PTB who underwent CT scans at the time of diagnosis, 91 were excluded either due to undetermined hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C) levels (n = 25) or concomitant pulmonary diseases (n = 66) that would make the analysis of the pulmonary changes on CT scans difficult. Finally, 335 patients were included in this study (224 men and 111 women; mean age, 59 years; range, 16-95 years). Among the 335 patients, 82 (24.5%) had DM and 52 of those (63.4%) had an uncontrolled status. The frequency of cavitation (43% vs. 23% vs. 79%, p < 0.001) and bronchial erosion (44% vs. 30% vs. 73%, p < 0.001) was significantly different between the three groups. The uncontrolled DM group showed a high frequency of cavitation and bronchial erosion compared to the non-DM (cavitation, p < 0.001 and bronchial erosion, p < 0.001) and controlled DM groups (p < 0.001 and p < 0.001). However, the frequency of cavitation and bronchial erosion in the controlled DM group was not different compared to the non-DM group.

CONCLUSION

The glycemic status (HbA1C ≥ 7.0), not the presence of DM, influenced the radiologic manifestations of PTB, especially in terms of medium-sized bronchial involvement, appearing as bronchial erosive changes and the feeding bronchus sign on chest CT scans. This difference in the uncontrolled DM group was likely to contribute to the higher frequency of cavitation.

Computed tomography findings in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis and diabetes at an infectious disease hospital in China: a retrospective cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between active pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) by analysing the clinical features and computed tomography (CT) findings of patients with active pulmonary TB and comorbid T2DM (TB-DM) in the LiangShan Yi regions.

METHODS

We collected data from 154 hospitalised patients with TB-DM initially confirmed at an infectious disease hospital in the Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture between 1 and 2019, and 31 December 2021. These were matched by sex and age ± 3 years to 145 hospitalised patients with initially confirmed pulmonary TB without comorbid T2DM (TB-NDM) over the same period. The clinical characteristics of the two groups were analysed separately. Three group-blinded radiologists independently analysed the CT findings and classified them into mild-to-moderate and severe groups. Severe chest CT lesion refers to a lesion that is less diffused or moderately dense and either exceeds the total volume of one lung, a high-density fused lesion greater than one-third of the volume of one lung, or a cavitary lesion with a maximum diameter ≥ 4 cm.

RESULTS

No significant differences were observed in the presentation of clinical features. Regarding the severity of chest CT manifestation, patients with TB-DM had significantly more severe TB than those with TB-NDM (89.61% vs. 68.97%, P < 0.0001). Regarding CT findings, patients with TB-DM had higher proportions of consolidation (79.22% vs. 52.41%, P < 0.0001), cavitary lesions (85.06% vs. 59.31%, P < 0.0001), bronchiectasis (71.43% vs. 31.03%, P < 0.0001), exudative lesions (88.96% vs. 68.28%, P < 0.0001), and fibrous lesions (93.51% vs. 68.97%, P < 0.0001) than patients with TB-NDM. In conclusion, patients with TB-DM have more severe pulmonary TB CT findings than those without. There were no significant differences in the distribution of lesions in the lung lobes between TB-DM and TB-NDM patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Among patients hospitalised with pulmonary TB, those with T2DM had more severe findings on chest CT than those without T2DM. However, the clinical presentation was not significantly different.