INTRODUÇÃO: A incidência de tuberculose (TB) em Santos (SP) situa-se em 73/100.000 habitantes-ano. A prevalência média de coinfecção TB/HIV é de 16%, taxas de cura e abandono de tratamento, entre casos novos são, respectivamente, 71% e 12%. Tais indicadores sugerem elevado risco para TB multidroga resistente (TBMR) no município, com incidência estimada em 1,9/100.000 habitantes-ano. OBJETIVO: Descrever e analisar o perfil de sensibilidade às drogas (TS) de primeira e segunda linha de tratamento entre pacientes com TB pulmonar (TBP), estimar a incidência de TBMR e a proporção de TB extensivamente resistente (TBXR); analisar aspectos moleculares, epidemiológicos e institucionais dos casos de TBP resistentes em Santos (SP). MÉTODOS: Estudo descritivo de uma coorte de pacientes de TBP, com início de tratamento ou retratamento entre 01 de janeiro de 2011 a 31 de dezembro de 2012. Definiu-se como caso de TBP, indivíduos com 15 anos ou mais, de ambos os sexos, residentes no município de Santos, com manifestações clínicas compatíveis com TBP e confirmação por cultura com isolamento de Mycobacterium tuberculosis. As variáveis de interesse para o estudo foram as características sociodemográficas, história atual e pregressa de TB, aspectos relativos ao tratamento, co-morbidades, ao diagnóstico e resistência a drogas. Para as análises comparativas entre proporções foram usados os testes qui-quadrado de Pearson e o Exato de Fisher e para variáveis contínuas o teste T de Student ou o de Kruskal - Wallis. Os perfis genéticos dos isoladas resistentes a ao menos uma droga foram obtidos pela técnica RLFP e analisados pelo programa Bionumerics versão 5.0 (Applied Maths - Bélgica). A descrição da distribuição espacial da TB resistentes e clusters foram feitas mediante a inserção dos casos no mapa de Santos, por endereço de residência, segundo o índice de vulnerabilidade social. RESULTADOS: Dos 263 casos de TBP selecionados, 68,4% (180/263) eram do sexo masculino, a mediana da idade foi de 38 anos, 8,7% (23/263) eram diabéticos; 20,4% (42/206) dos casos novos apresentavam ao menos um fator de risco para TBMR; destacando-se entre estes casos 10,7% (22/206) de confecção HIV/TB; 47,3% (123/260) tiveram tratamento supervisionado, 14,7% (91/617) dos contatos foram examinados, 18,6% (49/263) foram hospitalizados durante o tratamento, perfazendo uma média de 145,4 dias por paciente. Entre os casos resistentes a ao menos uma droga, a resistência à isoniazida foi 8,4% (22/263) e à rifampicina 3,8% (10/263) dos casos. A TBMR primária foi encontrada em 1,9% (4/206) dos casos e destes 25,0% (1/4) eram TBXR. A incidência média anual de TBMR foi de 0,57/100,000 habitantes. Dos 25 isolados resistentes ao menos uma droga, submetidos à RFLP, 12 (48,0%) foram agrupados em seis grupos genéticos, com dois pacientes em cada grupo. CONCLUSÕES: A elevada proporção TBMR primária, com um caso de TBXR enfatizam a necessidade de universalizar a cultura e TS, ampliar a cobertura do tratamento supervisionado, a investigação rotineira dos contatos e o monitoramento da resistência a drogas. O fortalecimento da vigilância da resistência às drogas é indispensável para o contínuo aperfeiçoamento do Programa de Controle da TB, especialmente em regiões de elevada carga da doença / INTRODUCTION: The incidence of tuberculosis (TB) in Santos (SP) is located around 73 / 100,000-year, approximately double that found on average in the country. The average prevalence of TB / HIV is 16% cure rates and treatment dropout among new cases are, respectively, 71% and 12%. Such indicators suggest high risk for multidrug-resistant TB (MR-TB) in the city, with the incidence estimated at 1.9 / 100,000-year. OBJECTIVE: To describe and analyze the sensitivity to drugs of first and second line treatment of patients with pulmonary TB (PTB) to estimate the incidence of MR-TB and extensively drugresistant TB (TBXR), describe molecular and institutional aspects, spatial distribution, epidemiological PTB resistant cases in the city of Santos (SP). METHODS: A descriptive study of a cohort of patients with PTB residing in the city who started treatment or retreatment in the period January 2011 to December 31, 2012. The case definition PTB individuals 15 years or more, both sexes, living in the city of Santos (SP), who present clinical manifestations compatible with PTB and whose confirmation was made by culture with isolation of M. tuberculosis. The variables of interest for the study were: bacteriological / laboratory socio-demographic characteristics, current and previous history of TB, aspects related to treatment, and comorbidities. For comparative analyzes of proportions the chi-squared tests and Fisher\'s exact were used for continuous variables and the Student t test or the Kruskal - Wallis. The genetic profiles of isolates resistant to at least one drug were obtained by RFLP (length polymorphism restriction fragment) and analyzed using version BioNumerics 5.0 (Applied Maths - Belgium) software. The description of the spatial distribution of resistant TB and the clusters was made by inserting the cases in Santos map, by address of residence, which was according to the index of social vulnerability. RESULTS: Of the 263 cases of PTB selected, 68.4% (180/263) were male, th median age was 38 years, 8.7% (23/263) were diabetes; 20.4% (42/206) of new cases had at least one risk factor for MR-TB, especially 10.7% (22/206) of making HIV / TB; 47.3% (123/260) underwent supervised treatment, 14.7% (91/617) of the contacts were examined, 18.6% (49/263) were hospitalized during treatment, totaling 7127 days of hospitalization with a mean 145.4 days per patient. Among the cases resistant to at least one drug resistance to isoniazid 8.4% (22/263) and rifampin 3.8% (10/263) of the cases was found. The primary MR-TB was found in 1.9% (4/206) of MR-TB cases and of these 25.0% (1/4) were TBXR. The average annual incidence of MDR-TB was 0.57/100,000 inhabitants. Of the 25 isolates resistant least one drug, subjected to molecular characterization of IS6110, 12 (48.0%) were grouped in six clusters, with each group including two isolates. CONCLUSIONS: A high proportion of primary MR-TB, including a case of TBXR emphasizes the need to universalize culture and TS, expand the coverage of supervised treatment, routine investigation of contacts and monitoring of drug resistance. The strengthening of the surveillance of drug resistance is essential for continuous improvement of the TB Control Program, especially in regions of high disease burden

FundaÃÃo de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Cearà / Baixas concentraÃÃes sÃricas de drogas antituberculose podem ser causa da resistÃncia de Mycobacterium tuberculosis Ãs drogas utilizadas para tratamento, a qual à mais freqÃente em pacientes em tratamento irregular, mas pode ser verificada em pacientes em tratamento diretamente observado. Os objetivos desse estudo foram avaliar a permeabilidade intestinal e a biodisponibilidade de rifampicina, isoniazida e pirazinamida em pacientes com tuberculose pulmonar ativa. Realizou-se estudo transversal controlado. No perÃodo entre julho de 2004 e dezembro de 2005 foram selecionados 56 pacientes consecutivos com tuberculose pulmonar ativa, atendidos no Centro de SaÃde Carlos Ribeiro em Fortaleza, Cearà e 29 controles sadios recrutados entre profissionais de saÃde, seus familiares e vizinhos para avaliaÃÃo da permeabilidade intestinal. Foram coletadas informaÃÃes sociodemogrÃficas e exames bioquÃmicos e realizou-se o teste de lactulose/manitol de todos. Os primeiros 30 casos de tuberculose e os 29 controles dessa amostra foram selecionados para a avaliaÃÃo da biodisponibilidade sÃrica de rifampicina, isoniazida e pirazinamida em amostras coletadas duas horas e seis horas depois da ingestÃo. A mÃdia de idade dos casos foi de 39,2  15 anos e a dos controles 34  11,0 (p=0,61). Eram do sexo masculino 71 % dos casos e 66% dos controles (p=0,57). O peso mÃdio dos casos (52,4  6,3 kg) foi significativamente menor do que o dos controles (71,1  14,0 kg) (p=0,014). Verificou-se menor excreÃÃo de lactulose entre os casos (mediana de 0,1721%; variando de 0,0-5.0139%) do que entre os controles (0,4301%; variando de 0,0-2,064) (p=0,049%); a excreÃÃo de manitol entre os casos foi 17,9910% (1,9567-71,5446%) e entre controles foi de 24,3899% (1,3883-63,0539%) (p=0,147); a relaÃÃo lactulose/manitol foi de 0,0095 (0,0-0,0759%) entre os casos e 0,0136 (0,0-0,0136%) entre os controles (p=0,018). A concentraÃÃo sÃrica mÃxima de rifampicina teve mÃdia de 1,46  0,72 Âg/ml nos casos e de 6,69  3,07 Âg/ml nos controles (p<0,001); a de isoniazida foi 2,62  1,53 Âg/ml entre os casos e 1,98  0,76 Âg/ml entre os controles (p=0,057) e a de pirazinamda foi de 44,10  10,40 Âg/ml entre os casos e 36,32  12,02 Âg/ml entre os controles (p=0,007). Quatro (13,3%) casos nÃo chegaram a alcanÃar os limites mÃnimos das concentraÃÃes normais esperadas de nenhuma das drogas de primeira linha para o tratamento da tuberculose; 21 (70,0%) alcanÃaram essa concentraÃÃo sÃrica apenas para uma droga (pirazinamida) e cinco (16,7%) apenas para duas drogas (pirazinamida e isoniazida). Nenhum caso alcanÃou as concentraÃÃes sÃricas normais esperadas para as trÃs drogas, simultaneamente. Em conclusÃo, observou-se reduÃÃo da absorÃÃo paracelular entre os pacientes com tuberculose bem como mà absorÃÃo intestinal de rifampicina e isoniazida. Estes resultados sugerem a necessidade da avaliaÃÃo de medidas para reduzir a mà absorÃÃo intestinal de drogas e evitar o retardo ou a impossibilidade de cura da doenÃa, bem como o risco de multirresistÃncia / Reduced antituberculosis drugs concentrations are associated with Mycobacterium tuberculosis resistance, mostly in patients in irregular but also in directly observed treatment. This study aims to evaluate intestinal permeability and bioavailability of rifampin (R), isoniazid (I) and pyrazinamide (P) in patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis. A controlled cross sectional study evaluated intestinal permeability from 56 consecutive active pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) patients who attended Carlos Ribeiro Health Unit in Fortaleza, CearÃ, northeast of Brazil, from July 2004 to December 2005. The Thirty who first came were selected to have R, I and P serum concentration dosed. Twenty nine healthy controls were select among health professionals, their relatives and neighboring. To access intestinal permeability lactulose/manitol (L/M) test was performed by HPLC in urine samples collected during five hours. To access bioavailability two blood samples were collect at 2 and 6 hours after drug ingestion. Demographic information was recorded from all volunteers. Mean age was 39.2  15 years in cases and 34  11.0 in controls (p=0.61); 71.4% cases and 65.5% controls were men (p=0.57). Lactulose urinary excretion was significantly lower in TB patients (median 0.1721%; range 0.0-5.0139) than in controls (median 0.4301%; range 0.2125-2.064) (p=0.0194); median manitol excretion in cases was 17.9910% (1.9567-71.5446) and in controls, 24.39894% (range 1.3883-63.0539) (p=0.147) and the lactulose/manitol ratio was of 0.0095 (range 0.0-0.0759) in cases and 0.0153 (0.0-0.0136) in controls (p=0.0698). Maximum means seric rifampin concentration in cases was1.46  0.72 Âg/ml and in controls, 3.07  6.69Âg/ml (p<0.001); maximum means seric isoniazid concentration was 2.62  1.53 Âg/ml in cases and 0.76  1.98 Âg/ml in controls (p=0.057); maximum means seric pirazinamide concentratio was 44.10  10.40 Âg/ml in cases and 12.02  36.32 Âg/ml in controls (p=0.007). Four cases (13.3%) had all tested drugs serum concentrations under expected normal; 21/30 (70.0%) had expected normal concentrations only for one drug (pyrazinamide) and 5/30 (16.7%) for 2 drugs only (pirazinamide and isoniazid). None of the cases had expected concentration levels for all 3 drugs, simultaneously. In conclusion, there was lesion in the functional intestinal barrier and malabsorption for rifampin and isoniazid in active pulmonary TB patients suggesting it is necessary a deeper evaluation of measures to reduce malabsorption, since only these drugs are used during last the four months of treatment

A tuberculose permanece como um dos maiores problemas de saúde pública mundial. O diagnóstico precoce e o tratamento rápido e eficiente dos indivíduos com tuberculose pulmonar ativa são medidas essenciais para a redução da morbidade, mortalidade e da incidência da tuberculose no mundo. As limitações encontradas nos métodos microbiológicos tradicionais, fizeram com que metodologias alternativas fossem desenvolvidas para melhorar o diagnóstico e o prognóstico da tuberculose humana. Neste trabalho verificamos o desempenho diagnóstico do Western blotting para pesquisa de anticorpos IgG anti - Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a utilização do teste QuantiFERON® - TB Gold e a detecção de moléculas de adesão celular (ICAM-1 e selectinas) como marcadores de prognóstico. Foram acompanhados até o final do tratamento 31 pacientes com tuberculose pulmonar diagnosticados por critérios clínicos e laboratoriais. Como controles, selecionamos população de indivíduos sadios, doadores de banco de sangue e indivíduos com outras pneumopatias. Os resultados mostraram que o Western blotting apresentou sensibilidade de 94% e especificidade de 96% no diagnóstico da tuberculose pulmonar, atendendo os requisitos da OMS para testes sorológicos. O QuantiFERON® - TB Gold apresentou sensibilidade de 83% e especificidade de 100%, após ajuste do limiar de reatividade. Os resultados das moléculas de adesão celular sugerem potencial para serem utilizadas como marcadores de prognóstico da doença. Ao associarmos os resultados do Western blotting ou do QuantiFERON® - TB Gold com a baciloscopia obtivemos sensibilidade superior a 95%; e quando associados à cultura a sensibilidade encontrada foi de 100%. O Western blotting mostrou ser uma ferramenta útil como auxiliar no diagnóstico da tuberculose pulmonar mesmo em pacientes com baciloscopia negativa. / Tuberculosis remains a major public-health problem. Rapid diagnosis and prompt treatment is the cornerstone to reduce morbidity, mortality and incidence of tuberculosis in the world. Alternative methods have been developed to overcome the limitations presented by conventional microbiological methods and to improve the diagnosis and prognosis of tuberculosis. In this study we verified the diagnostic performance of Western blotting for IgG anti-M.tuberculosis antibodies detection, QuantiFERON® - TB Gold and circulating adhesion molecules (ICAM-1 and Selectins) as prognosis markers. Thirty-one patients were followed-up during the treatment. Active pulmonary tuberculosis was diagnosed by clinical and laboratorial criteria. As group control healthy individuals, blood donors and patients with other lung diseases were included. Western blotting results showed a high performance with sensitivity of 94% and specificity of 96% for the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis, attending WHO requirements for serological tests. After adjusting the threshold, QuantiFERON® - TB Gold showed sensitivity of 83% and specificity of 100%. The results of adhesion molecules suggested potential to use the test as prognosis markers. Combining Western blotting or QuantiFERON® - TB Gold with acid-fast bacilli (AFB) smear results, the overall sensitivity increase to more than 95%, and when combined with culture the overall sensitivity was 100%. Together, these findings, suggest that Western blotting could be a very useful supplementary tool for pulmonary tuberculosis, especially in patients with AFB smear negative.

<p>Uvod: Povezanost dijabetesa melitusa i&nbsp; tuberkuloze je odavno primećena i bila je predmet ispitivanja mnogih studija. Dijagnoza &scaron;ećerne bolesti pre otkrića insulina značila je smrtni ishod u roku od pet godina, a najče&scaron;ći uzrok smrti su bile infekcije, uključujući tuberkulozu. Poslednjih godina incidenca tuberkuloze je u padu, ali je i dalje prisutan značajan broj obolelih od tuberkuloze u zemljama u razvoju. Sa druge strane incidenca dijabetes melitusa je u porastu, pre svega zbog tendencije porasta broja gojaznih osoba. Procenjeno je da će prevalencija obolelih od dijabetes melitusa dostići 438 miliona obolelih do 2030, a 80% svih slučajeva će biti stanovnici zemalja u razvoju gde je i dalje visoka prevalencija tuberkuloze. Kao rezultat ovakve epidemiolo&scaron;ke situacije ove dve bolesti će se sve če&scaron;će javljati uporedo, modifikujući tok jedna drugoj. Preduslov za uspe&scaron;no lečenje dijabetičara obolelih od tuberkuloze je postizanje zadovoljavajuće metaboličke regulisanosti &scaron;ećerne bolesti. smrtni ishod u roku od pet godina, a najče&scaron;ći uzrok smrti su bile infekcije, uključujući tuberkulozu. Poslednjih godina incidenca tuberkuloze je u padu, ali je i dalje prisutan značajan broj obolelih od tuberkuloze u zemljama u razvoju. Sa druge strane incidenca dijabetes melitusa je u porastu, pre svega zbog tendencije porasta broja gojaznih osoba. Procenjeno je da će prevalencija obolelih od dijabetes melitusa dostići 438 miliona obolelih do 2030, a 80% svih slučajeva će biti stanovnici zemalja u razvoju gde je i dalje visoka prevalencija tuberkuloze. Kao rezultat ovakve epidemiolo&scaron;ke situacije ove dve bolesti će se sve če&scaron;će javljati uporedo, modifikujući tok jedna drugoj. Preduslov za uspe&scaron;no lečenje dijabetičara obolelih od tuberkuloze je postizanje zadovoljavajuće metaboličke regulisanosti &scaron;ećerne bolesti. Cilj istraživanja: Cilj rada je bilo ispitivanje uticaja dijabetesa melitusa na tok plućne tuberkuloze, prvenstveno na bakteriolo&scaron;ki status, radiolo&scaron;ku prezentaciju bolesti, dužinu terapijskog režima i učestalost recidiva bolesti. Materijal i metode: Ispitivanjem su obuhvaćene dve grupe od po pedeset bolesnika koji su hospitalizovani u Institutu za plućne bolesti Vojvodine. Prvu grupu činili su bolesnici sa plućnom tuberkulozom i pridruženom &scaron;ećernom bole&scaron;ću, a drugu grupu bolesnici sa plućnom tuberkulozom bez pridružene &scaron;ećerne bolesti. Svi bolesnici su analizirani po sledećim karakteristikama: starost, pol, klinička slika, bakteriolo&scaron;ki status, radiolo&scaron;ka prezentacija, prisustvo neželjenih efekata antituberkulotika, prisustvo rezistencije M. tuberculosis na lekove, trajanje terapijskog režima, ishod lečenja, pojava recidiva i dužina hospitalizacije. Oboleli od &scaron;ećerne bolesti bili su dodatno analizirani prema: tipu bolesti, dužini trajanja bolesti, metaboličkoj regulisanosti bolesti i prisustvu komplikacija. Svi bolesnici obuhvaćeni ispitivanjem bili su podvrgnuti standardnom dijagnostičkom algoritmu koji obuhvata: anamnezu i fizikalni pregled, direktnu mikroskopiju sputuma, kultivaciju sputuma, radiogram grudnog ko&scaron;a, CT grudnog ko&scaron;a u slučaju postavljenih kliničkih indikacija. Invazivna dijagnostika će se sprovesti kod bolesnika kod kojih dijagnoza nije mogla biti postavljena prethodno sprovedenom neinvazivnom dijagnostikom. Terapijski režim će biti započet tokom hospitalizacije u Institutu za plućne bolesti Vojvodine, a nastavljen ambulantno pod kontrolom Dispanzera za plućne bolesti. Po zavr&scaron;etku terapijskog režima predviđena je kontrola u Institutu za plućne bolesti Vojvodine koja obuhvata procenu kliničke slike, bakteriolo&scaron;kog statusa, radiolo&scaron;kog nalaza i eventualnu potrebu za produženjem terapijskog režima. Rezultati: Istraživanje je pokazalo da je u grupi obolelih od tuberkuloze bez pridruženog dijabetes melitusa bio sličan broj bolesnika mu&scaron;kog i ženskog pola, a veći broj ispitanika se nalazio u starosnim kategorijama do 50 godina starosti, dok je u grupi obolelih od tuberkuloze sa dijabetes melitusom bio značajno vi&scaron;e zastupljen mu&scaron;ki pol i značajno vi&scaron;e ispitanika se nalazilo u starosnim kategorijama preko 50 godina starosti. Beleži se statistički značajno veći broj recidiva u grupi obolelih od tuberkuloze sa dijabetes melitusom (p=0,001). Između ispitvanih grupa se ne beleži statistički značajna razlika u kliničkoj prezentaciji bolesti. U grupi obolelih od tuberkuloze sa dijabetes melitusom, statistički značajno je veći broj direktno pozitivnih nalaza sputuma (p=0,046). Utvrđeno je postojanje statistički značajne razlike u prosečnoj dužini vremena potrebnoj za direktnu konverziju sputuma (p=0,000) i prosečnoj dužini vremena potrebnoj za konverziju kulture sputuma (p=0,000). U oba slučaja je grupa obolelih od tuberkuloze sa pridruženim dijabetes melitusom imala duže prosečno vreme potrebno za konverziju. U grupi obolelih od tuberkuloze sa pridruženim dijabetes melitusom bilo je statistički značajno vi&scaron;e bolesnika sa prisustvom kaverne (p=0,006) i lokalizacijom promena u sva tri režnja (p=0,000). Nije zapažena statistički značajna razlika u trajanju terapijskog režima, ispoljavanju neželjenih efekata lekova, pojavi rezistencije na lekove i ishodu lečenja između dve ispitivane grupe. Grupa obolelih od tuberkuloze sa pridruženim dijabetesom imala je statistički značajno veći broj bolničkih dana (p=0,000). Poređenjem grupa obolelih od tuberkuloze sa pridruženim zadovoljavajuće regulisanim dijabetesom i grupe obolelih od tuberkuloze sa lo&scaron;e regulisanim dijabetesom uočeno je statistički značajno duže trajanje terapijskog režima kod dijabetičara sa lo&scaron;e regulisanom bole&scaron;ću (p=0,018). Nije bilo statistički značajne razlike u zastupljenosti recidiva, kliničke prezentacije bolesti, bakteriolo&scaron;kog i radiolo&scaron;kog statusa, ispoljavanju neželjenih efekata lekova, pojavi rezistencije na lekove, ishoda lečenja i broja bolničkih dana između dve ispitivane grupe. Dodatnim poređenjem grupa (oboleli od tuberkuloze bez pridruženog dijabetesa, oboleli od tuberkuloze sa pridruženim zadovoljavajuće regulisanim dijabetesom i oboleli od tuberkuloze sa pridruženim lo&scaron;e regulisanim dijabetesom) primećeno je da je grupi bolesnika obolelih od tuberkuloze sa lo&scaron;e regulisanim dijabetesom potrebno najduže vreme za direktnu konverziju i konverziju kultura sputuma na MT i da imaju najveći broj bolničkih dana. U grupi obolelih od tuberkuloze sa pridruženim lo&scaron;e regulisanim dijabetesom je bilo statistički značajno veći broj bolesnika koji su lečeni osam meseci u odnosu na druge dve grupe (p=0,011). Poređenjem grupa obolelih od tuberkuloze sa tipom 1 dijabetesa tipom 2 dijabetesa nije uočena statističk značajna razlika između grupa po svim ispitivanim varijablama. U grupi dijabetičara sa dobro regulisanim dijabetesom nalazi se veći broj onih koji imaju tip 2 bolesti, u odnosu na grupu bolesnika sa lo&scaron;e regulisanim dijabetesom. Grupa dijabetičara sa lo&scaron;e regulisanom bolesti ima statistički značajno veći broj komplikacija &scaron;ećerne bolesti. Zaključak: Dokazano je da &scaron;ećerna bolest značajno utiče na bakteriolo&scaron;ki status, radiolo&scaron;ku prezentaciju, dužinu terapijskog režima, učestalost recidiva tuberkuloze i broj bolničkih dana obolelih od tuberkuloze,kao i da je regulisanost &scaron;ećerne bolesti imala značajan uticaj na dužinu terapijskog režima.</p> / <p>Introduction: The association of diabetes mellitus and tuberculosis has long been observed and has been the subject of many studies. The diagnosis of diabetes before the discovery of insulin meant death within five years, a leading cause of death were infections, including tuberculosis. Last years the incidence of tuberculosis has declined, but there is still a significant number of TB patients in developing countries. On the other hand, the incidence of diabetes is on the rise, primarily due to the tendency of an increasing number of obese people. It is estimated that the prevalence of patients with diabetes will reach 438 million sufferers by 2030, and 80% of all cases will be people in developing countries where it is still a high prevalence of tuberculosis. As a result of the epidemiological situation, these two diseases will increasingly occur in parallel, modifying the current one another. Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of diabetes mellitus on the course of pulmonary tuberculosis, primarily in the bacteriological status, radiological presentation of disease, duration of the treatment regimen and the frequency of disease relapse. Materials and Methods: The study included two groups of fifty patients who were hospitalized at the Institute for pulmonary diseases. The first group consisted of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis and concomitant diabetes mellitus, a second group consisted of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis without associated diabetes. All patients were analyzed by the following characteristics: age, gender, clinical picture, bacteriological status, radiological presentation, the presence of side effects of antituberculosis drugs, the presence of M. tuberculosis resistant to the drugs, the duration of the therapeutic regimen, treatment outcome, recurrence and length of hospitalization. Diabetics were further analyzed with respect to: the type of disease, duration of disease, a metabolic disease and the regulation for the presence of a complication. All patients completed this study were subjected to a diagnostic algorithm comprising: history and physical examination, direct microscopy of sputum, cultivation of sputum, radiographs of the chest, chest CT scan in case positioned on clinical indications. Invasive diagnostic will be performed in patients in whom the diagnosis could not be set previously conducted noninvasive diagnostics. The treatment regimen will be started during the hospitalization in the Institute of pulmonary diseases and is set under the control of ambulatory pulmonary dispensaries. Results: The study showed that in the group of TB patients without concomitant diabetes mellitus was a similar number of patients male and female, a greater number of respondents was in the age groups up to the age of 50, while in the group of TB patients with diabetes mellitus was significantly more frequent male half and significantly more respondents were in the age groups over 50 years of age. Significantly higher number of relapses is recorded in a group of TB patients with diabetes mellitus (p = 0,001). Between the two study groups was not significant difference in the clinical presentation of the disease. In the group of TB patients with diabetes mellitus, is statistically significant higher number of smear positive findings (p = 0,046). There is a statisticaly significant difference in the average length of time required for the smear conversion (p = 0,000) and average length of time needed for the conversion of sputum cultures (p = 0,000). In both cases, the group of TB patients with associated diabetes mellitus had a longer average time needed for the conversion. In the group of patients with tuberculosis associated with diabetes mellitus was statistically significantly more patients with the presence of the cavern (p = 0,006), and the localization of the pulmonary changes in all three lobes (p = 0,000). Between the two study groups was not observed a statistically significant difference in duration of the treatment regimen, the expression of adverse drug effects, develop resistance to the drugs, and the outcome of the treatment. Group of patients with tuberculosis associated with diabetes had a statistically significantly greater number of hospital days (p = 0,000). Between the groups of patients with tuberculosis associated with satisfactory controlled diabetes and the group of TB patients with poorly controlled diabetes was statistically significantly longer duration of the therapeutic regimen in diabetic patients with poor regulation of the disease (p = 0,018). There was no significant difference in the appearance of relapses, the clinical presentation of disease, the bacteriological status, radiology, the expression of adverse drug effects, develop resistance to the drugs, outcome of the treatment, number of hospital days between the two study groups. Comparing the three groups (tuberculosis without associated diabetes mellitus, TB patients with associated satisfactorily controlled diabetes and TB patients with associated poorly controlled diabetes), it was observed that the group of patients suffering from tuberculosis with poorly controlled diabetes takes the longest time to smear conversion and conversion of sputum culture and to have the highest number of hospital days. In the group of patients with tuberculosis associated with poorly controlled diabetes was significantly greater number of patients who were treated for eight months compared to the other two groups (p = 0,011). Comparing the group of TB patients with type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes is not a statistically significant difference between the groups in all variables. In the group of diabetic patients with satisfactorily controlled diabetes, there are a large number of those with type 2 disease, in comparison to the group of patients with poorly controlled diabetes. Group of diabetics with poorly regulated disease has a significantly greater number of diabetes comlications. Conclusion: It has been shown that diabetes mellitus has a significant effect on the bacteriological status, radiological presentation, the length of the treatment regimen, the frequency of recurrence of tuberculosis and the number of hospital days of patients with tuberculosis, and that the adjustment of diabetes had a significant effect on the length of the treatment regimen.</p>