Screening patients with tuberculosis for diabetes mellitus in China.

From:
Department for International Development
Published
1 January 2012
Country:
China
Document Type:
Journal Article
Theme:
Health
Authors:
Liu, L., Li, L., Li, Y., Shi, L., Liang, B., Zachariah, R., Harries, AD., Lonnroth, K., Chi, J., Gong, F., Guo, C., Kapur, A., Lin, Y., Mi, F., Tan, S.

Abstract

There is a high burden of both diabetes (DM) and tuberculosis (TB) in China, and this study aimed to assess feasibility and results of screening patients with TB for DM within the routine healthcare setting of six health facilities.

Agreement on how to screen, monitor and record was reached in May 2011 at a stakeholders’ meeting, and training was carried out for staff in the six facilities in July 2011. Implementation started in September 2011. This is a report on 7 months of activities up to 31 March 2012.

There were 8886 registered patients with TB. They were first asked whether they had DM. If the answer was no, they were screened with a random blood glucose (RBG) followed by fasting blood glucose (FBG) in those with RBG ≤ 6.1 mm (one facility) or with an initial FBG (five facilities). Those with FBG ≥7.0 mm were referred to DM clinics for diagnostic confirmation with a second FBG. Altogether, 1090 (12.4%) patients with DM were identified, of whom 863 (9.7%) had a known diagnosis of DM. Of 8023 patients who needed screening for DM, 7947 (99%) were screened. This resulted in a new diagnosis of DM in 227 patients (2.9% of screened patients), and of these, 226 were enrolled to DM care. In addition, 575 (7.8%) persons had impaired fasting glucose (FBG 6.1 to

This pilot project shows that it is feasible to screen patients with TB for DM in the routine setting, resulting in a high yield of patients with known and newly diagnosed disease. Free blood tests for glucose measurement and integration of TB and DM services may improve the diagnosis and management of dually affected patients.

Citation

Li, L.; Lin, Y.; Mi, F.; Tan, S.; Liang, B.; Guo, C.; Shi, L.; Liu, L.; Gong, F.; Li, Y.; Chi, J.; Zachariah, R.; Kapur, A.; Lonnroth, K.; Harries, AD. Screening of patients with tuberculosis for diabetes mellitus in China. Tropical Medicine and International Health (2012) 17 (10) 1294-1301. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-3156.2012.03068.x]

Screening patients with tuberculosis for diabetes mellitus in China.

Published 1 January 2012
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