Pulmonary

Background: Diabetes mellitus is a chronic and debilitating disease. Its complications give rise to micro and macrovascular diseases which affect eyes, kidneys, heart, blood vessels, nerves and also lungs. There may be a relationship between diabetes and reduced lung function, so this study was designed to evaluate the impairment of lung function on spirometry among diabetic patients. Objectives: To study the effect of diabetes mellitus on the evolution of respiratory function parameters. Patients and methods: Hundred subjects were enrolled in the study, 30 patients with type I, another 30 patients with type II and 40 subjects were controls. Mean age was 42.78 ± 3.14 years, 45 were males and 55 were females. Mean HbA1C was 8.9 ± 1.1%. 22 patients with diabetes duration from 5 to 10 years, 38 patients with a duration of more than 10 years. Spirometric tests were done for all groups by computerized Spirometry with six parameters {Forced vital capacity (FVC), Forced expiratory volume in first second (FEV1), Peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR), Forced expiratory volume in first second to forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC), Peak expiratory flow rate (FEFR 25–75) and Diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO)}. Result: There was a predominant reduction in all the Spirometric parameters of diabetic patients toward the restrictive pattern as there was significant deterioration in DLCO in comparison with healthy controls. FVC (p < 0.01), and FEV1/FVC% (p < 0.001) were significantly lower in type1 diabetic patients in comparison to those of type II. Impairment of lung functions was obvious with a longer duration of diabetes. Conclusion: Diabetes is associated with a significant impaired pulmonary function in a restrictive pattern as compared to non diabetics. The pulmonary function impairment was found to be more marked with diabetic duration especially after 10 years. Subjects with type I diabetes had lower FVC and FEV1/FVC% than predicted; it could be related to poor glycemic control.