Pulmonary function parameters in patients with diabetes mellitus

This study is th e preliminary report of a multicentric study conducted to evaluate the possible association between the microvascular complications of diabetes mellitus (DM) and changes in pulmonary functions. 30 non-smoking diabetics having no overt pulmonary or cardiac disease were included. Glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA 1c) levels were determined, ophthalmologic examination for diabetic retinopathy was done and microalbuminuria (MAU) was measured in order to evaluate diabetic nephropathy. Pulmonary function tests, including the assessment of diffusing capacity [forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV 1), FEV1% predicted (FEV 1 %), forced expiratory flow in 25-75% of vital capacity (FEF 2575), carbon monoxide diffusing capacity (DLCO) alveolar volume (VA), DLCO/VA] were performed. The mean age (66.7% male) was 54‐9.97yr. Nine patients (30 %) had had DM for more than 10 years. 19 cases (62%) had high HbA 1c levels (over 7%), 18 (60%) had a body mass index (BMI) over 27.5 kg/m 2 . 70% of patients were using oral antidiabetics (OAD). Diabetic retinopathy was found and degreed in 46.7% of cases. The patient population, subdivided according to HbA 1c levels, BMI, type of treatment, retinal findings, duration of DM, microalbuminuria and pulmonary parameters, was compared; statistical analysis was done by SPSS program using Pearson correlation tests. No statistical difference was found between any of these subgroups (p> 0.05). So, a possible association between diabetic microvascular pathology and pulmonary functional changes was not detected, this is thought to be due to the insufficient number of patients.