Influencing factors on relapse of sputum pulmonary tuberculosis in elderly diabetes patients.

Purpose: This study aimed to explore the factors influencing the relapse of sputum-positive pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) in elderly patients with diabetes.

Methods: A total of 187 elderly patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) and bacteriological relapse were selected as participants. These patients were divided into two groups: the TB group (82 cases, TB alone) and the combined group (70 cases, TB complicated with diabetes). Additionally, 90 elderly healthy individuals were enrolled in the healthy group. General data, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), and fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels were collected from all patients, and sputum smears were analyzed.

Results: The combined group exhibited worse outcomes in terms of diabetes duration, lobe cavity, and lesion area compared to the TB group (P < 0.05). Before treatment, the levels of HbA1c and FBG in the combined group were significantly higher than those in the TB group (P < 0.05). After treatment, both groups showed reduced levels of HbA1c and FBG, but the levels remained higher in the combined group compared to the TB group (P < 0.05). Single-factor Logistic regression analysis revealed that the risk factors for TB-positive relapse in diabetes patients complicated with TB included age, diabetes duration, lobe cavity, lesion range, HbA1c, and FBG. Moreover, multivariate Logistic regression analysis identified diabetes duration, lung lobe cavity, lesion area, HbA1c, and FBG as significant risk factors for TB-positive relapse in these patients.

Conclusion: Our study revealed that the risk factors for the relapse of sputum-positive TB in elderly diabetes patients include diabetes duration, lobe cavity, lesion area, HbA1c, and FBG.