Introduction: The incidence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus tends to rise in old populations. The coincidence of these two diseases seems to be quite frequent. The aim of the study was the retrospective analysis of all patients hospitalized in the Department and Clinic of Internal Diseases, Allergology and Clinical Immunology, Medical University of Silesia in 2000-2004 due to the diagnosis of COPD and the assessment of the coincidence of that chronic disease with glucose metabolic disturbances.
Material and methods: In 213 (135 men and 78 women, mean age 66.3) hospitalized patients due to the COPD the glucose tolerance was assessed. Diabetes mellitus was diagnosed according to WHO criteria of 1985 and COPD was diagnosed with the use of GOLD 2005 criteria.
Results: The coexistence of COPD and glucose metabolic disturbances (diabetes mellitus, impaired glucose tolerance test, impaired fasting glucose) were diagnosed in 74 patients (34.7% of all COPD group). In 22 (29.7%) patients the symptoms of COPD preceded the diagnosis of diabetes mellitus by 5.4 years (1 month-15 years). In 18 (8.4%) the diagnosis of diabetes was established during hospitalization. 16 (7.5%) had impaired fasting glucose level, 18 (8.4%) revealed impaired glucose tolerance test. All the cases were heterogenous in terms of the duration of both diseases, clinical features and therapeutical approaches.
Conclusions: The coexistence of both diseases were independent of the corticosteroids use. The exact analysis of the processes involved in etiopathogenesis of both diseases offers a promise of newer treatment approaches.