Vitamin D status of patients with type 2 diabetes and sputum positive pulmonary tuberculosis

INTRODUCTION: Vitamin D deficiency is expected to be higher in patients with diabetes and pulmonary tuberculosis (TB). Studies estimating prevalence in the subset of patients with both diabetes and pulmonary TB are scarce. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 155 subjects were recruited; 46 patients with type 2 diabetes, 39 non-diabetic healthy controls, 30 patients of pulmonary TB and 40 patients with both pulmonary TB and type 2 diabetes. Vitamin D level (25 OH vitamin D) levels were done for all the 4 groups. RESULTS: Mean vitamin D levels were not different between groups with TB, diabetes mellitus or combination of both, but the prevalence of severe vitamin D deficiency was higher in the group with both diabetes and TB (45%) as compared with the group with only TB (26.66%) and diabetes (17.39%) and healthy controls (7.69%). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of patients with severe vitamin D deficiency is higher in patients with dual affection of TB and diabetes mellitus as compared with either disorder alone implying that patients with type 2 diabetes with the most severe vitamin D deficiency are the one of the most predisposed to pulmonary TB.