ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To know the prevalence of tuberculous infection in diabetics. To related years of evolution of the illness and the age of the diabetic with the tuberculous infection. DESIGN: Observational cross survey. LOCATION: Elche Health Centre. PATIENTS: 29 type 1 diabetics and 228 type II diabetics from the diabetics who attend the centre, 22 people did not take part in the survey for technical reasons. MEASURES AND MAIN RESULTS: 5 UT PPD CT-68 tuberculin was used from the Parisis laboratory, administering 2 UT with an insulin syringe. The results were evaluated after 72 hours. The prevalence of tuberculous infection was 11.53% without there being any significant statistical association with the years of evolution of diabetes (p = 0.097); average years of evolution 8.15, SP = 7.7 (7.08-9.21) and was associated significantly with the PPD (in mm) (p = 0.00031) with a low association power (r = 0.314). The average age 62.6 years, SD = 11.4 (61.13-63.96) was significantly associated with PPD (mm) (p = 0.0022), with a low association power (r = 0.191). CONCLUSIONS: Diabetics are at no more risk than healthy adults in suffering from tuberculous infection, and therefore there is no reason to apply primary chemoprophylaxis. The risk of tuberculous infection does increase with age and years of evolution of the disease, which justifies protocol use of PPD in diabetics, and secondary chemoprophylaxis if necessary.
