Screening tuberculosis patients for diabetes mellitus in Fiji: notes from the field

摘要

Diabetes (DM) is a problem in Fiji and threatens tuberculosis (TB) control efforts. A review was conducted of all TB patients registered in Fiji in 2011 to assess routine practices of screening for DM. Of 221 TB patients, 138 (62%) had their DM status recorded in their case folders; 18 (13%) had a known history of DM. Random blood glucose (RBG) was performed in 91 (76%) of the remaining 120 patients: 47(52%) had RBG ≥ 6.1 mmol/l, but only three were further investigated, of whom one was diagnosed with DM. There are deficiencies in screening TB patients for DM in Fiji, and improvements are needed.