Assessment of Pulmonary Function Using Spirometry in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus: A Cross-Sectional Comparative Study

Background:
Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a long-term metabolic disease that is
becoming more common around the world. Its systemic complications
affect more than just the usual target organs. However, pulmonary
involvement in diabetes is still not well understood in everyday clinical
practice.
Objective:
To evaluate pulmonary function via spirometry in patients with diabetes
mellitus and to investigate the correlation between lung function
deterioration and disease duration.
Methods:
A cross-sectional comparative study was performed from June to
November 2013 at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital and Rajshahi
Diabetic Association General Hospital in Bangladesh. There were 88
participants who did not smoke and were not obese. They had type 1
DM, type 2 DM, or were matched with non-diabetic controls.
Spirometry was used to measure pulmonary function (FVC, FEV1,
FEV1/FVC), and SPSS version 16.0 was used to look at the data.
Results:
Both type 1 and type 2 diabetic patients showed a significant drop in
FVC and FEV1 (measured and % predicted) when compared to controls
(p<0.01). The FEV1/FVC ratio stayed the same or went up, which means
that the breathing pattern was mostly restrictive. Every person with type
1 diabetes and about 78–79% of people with type 2 diabetes had FVC
values that were less than 80% of what was expected. A longer duration
of diabetes (>10 years) was significantly correlated with greater
decreases in FVC and FEV1 (r=−0.48, p=0.002).
Conclusion:
Diabetes mellitus, especially of extended duration, is linked to
considerable restrictive pulmonary dysfunction, underscoring the lungs
as a critical target organ in diabetes.