Addressing diabetes mellitus as part of the strategy for ending TB
Diabetes mellitus triples the risk of TB and increases the probability of adverse TB treatment outcomes
Abstract
As we enter the new era of Sustainable Development Goals, the international community has committed to ending the TB epidemic by 2030 through implementation of an ambitious strategy to reduce TB-incidence and TB-related mortality and avoiding catastrophic costs for TB-affected families.
Diabetes mellitus (DM) triples the risk of TB and increases the probability of adverse TB treatment outcomes such as failure, death and recurrent TB. The rapidly escalating global epidemic of DM means that DM needs to be addressed if TB-related milestones and targets are to be achieved. WHO and the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease’s Collaborative Framework for Care and Control of Tuberculosis and Diabetes, launched in 2011, provides a template to guide policy makers and implementers to combat the epidemics of both diseases. However, more evidence is required to answer important questions about bi-directional screening, optimal ways of delivering treatment, integration of DM and TB services, and infection control. This should in turn contribute to better and earlier TB case detection, and improved TB treatment outcomes and prevention. DM and TB collaborative care can also help guide the development of a more effective and integrated public health approach for managing non-communicable diseases.
This research was supported by the UK Department for International Development’s Operational Research Capacity Building Programme led by the International Union Against TB and Lung Disease (The Union)
Citation
Anthony D. Harries, Ajay M.V. Kumar, Srinath Satyanarayanac, Yan Lind, Rony Zachariahe, Knut Lonnroth, Anil Kapur. Addressing diabetes mellitus as part of the strategy for ending TB. Transactions of The Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, Volume 110, Issue 3, 1 March 2016, Pages 173–179, https://doi.org/10.1093/trstmh/trv111
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Addressing diabetes mellitus as part of the strategy for ending TB