Coexıstence of Advanced Age and Female Gender in Dıabetıcs Wıth Extrapulmonary Tuberculosıs: Four Culture-Proven Cases

BackgroundThe relationship between diabetes mellitus (DM) and tuberculosis (TB) has long been known, but the extent of the relationship has only recently been demonstrated. It has been suggested that the presence of DM could triple the risk of TB.ObjectiveWithin the clinical picture of culture-proven TB, we examined the coexistence of TB, DM, and advanced age in 4 diabetic female elderly patients.Case summaryFour cases of women with meningitis, bone TB, spondylodiscitis, and meningitis and spondylodiscitis are presented. All patients were diabetic and aged 50 to 79 years. Mycobacterium tuberculosis was isolated from the abscess from lesion areas, cerebrospinal fluid, and synovial fluid samples.ConclusionPresence of DM is known to trigger reactivation of TB. These 4 diabetic female patients are noteworthy because they show that coexistence of DM and TB might lead to progressive forms of extrapulmonary TB in advanced age.