Association of tuberculosis with diabetes and anemia: A hospital-based cross-sectional study from central India

Background: According to the World Health Organization, there were 10.4 million cases of tuberculosis (TB) in 2017 and 1.8 million deaths. The highest prevalence is in Asia, where China, India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and Pakistan collectively make up over 50% of the global burden. India ranks second in the total number of patients who have diabetes. While the national prevalence of diabetes mellitus in India is estimated at 7.3%, it is higher at 11.2% in urban regions. Objectives: The aim is to determine the association of pulmonary TB with diabetes and anemia. Materials and Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted at a tertiary care rural hospital in central India. The study population was recruited from the DOTS center in the hospital. Complete blood count and blood sugar were carried out. Results: Among 162 patients, 31 were TB-positive. Anemic patients were more significantly at higher odds (odds ratio [OR]=15.18, 95% confidence interval [CI]=3.5, 66.2) of having TB than non-anemic patients. Similarly, diabetic individuals had higher odds (OR=2.3, 95% CI=0.64, 8.1) than non-diabetic individuals for TB, but this association was not statistically significant. Conclusion: In this study, we found a significant association between anemia and TB. Also, there is a probable association between diabetes and TB. So, we suggest that every TB patient be screened for anemia and diabetes.