Evaluation of Pulmonary Functions in Patients of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: a Cross-sectional Study

Background: – Diabetes mellitus (DM) has been broadly recognized as syndrome of hyperglycemia leading to various macro and microvascular complications. The different physiological systems that have been identified as a target of these injurious effects of hyperglycemia are excretory system, ocular system, central nervous system and cardiovascular system. Till date not much focus has been given to respiratory system as a possible target for deleterious effect of hyperglycemia. Objective: – To assess the pulmonary functions in subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and compare them with age and sex matched healthy controls. Methods – This study was conducted on one hundred and twenty-five patients of type 2 diabetes Mellitus and a comparative number of age and sex matched non-diabetic individuals (control group) who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. RMS Helios 401 computerized spirometer was used to assess pulmonary functions. Result: – Results showed significantly lower values of FVC, FEV1, FEF25-75% and MVV among diabetic subjects as compared to controls (<0.05). Conclusion: – We found that pulmonary function parameters in diabetic subjects were consistently lower than in healthy controls.