Pulmonary Function Abnormalities in Patients with Type ۲ Diabetes in Contrast to Healthy Population

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus is a chronic multisystem disease that lungs are also affected .However, there are conflicting evidence about the abnormal pulmonary function in diabetic patients. This study evaluated the difference between pulmonary function tests among patients with type ۲ diabetes and healthy adults.Material and Methods: This present descriptive cross sectional had been studied in Khorasan Razavi province of Iran from November ۲۰۱۶ to May ۲۰۱۷. The patients with type ۲ diabetes which were older than ۱۸ years without history of pulmonary diseases, heart failure, smoking, anemia, musculoskeletal, pulmonary or connective tissue disorders were included in the present study. A group of healthy volunteers participated as a control group with similar age, gender, height and weight to the diabetic participants. Both groups underwent spirometry and body box . Pulmonary function tests among study groups were compared.Results: Total number of ۴۰ diabetic patients as the case group and ۴۰ healthy individuals as control group enrolled in this study. The control group had significantly higher force vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in ۱ second (FEV۱)  and lower FEV۱/FVC (P=۰.۰۰۱, P=۰.۰۵ and P=۰.۰۰۱ respectively). Males in diabetic groups had significantly lower FVC and FEV۱/FVC (P=۰.۰۱ and P=۰.۰۰۳) and diabetic females had significantly higher FVC, FEV۱ and lower FEV۱/FVC (P=۰.۰۰۱, P=۰.۰۵ and P=۰.۰۰۳ respectively). According to the linear regression model, by controlling the effect of gender, diabetes significantly affected both FEV۱/FVC and FVC levels.Conclusion: The present study demonstrated that diabetic patients are more likely to develop abnormal pulmonary function and  gender can affect the pulmonary function of the diabetic patients.