[Coexistence of bronchial asthma and diabetes mellitus type 2--retrospective analysis]

Bronchial asthma and diabetes mellitus type 2 are often found among adult patients. However, coincidence of these two diseases is very rare. The aim of the study was the retrospective analysis of all patients with bronchial asthma and diabetes mellitus type 2 hospitalised in Department and Clinic of Internal Diseases and Allergology in Zabrze, Silesian School of Medicine in Katowice in 1988-1997. Diabetes mellitus type 2 was diagnosed according to WHO criteria of 1985 and bronchial asthma was diagnosed with the use of American Thoracic Society criteria. Bronchial asthma and diabetes mellitus type 2 occurring together were found in 18 patients (0.3% of all hospitalized patients). In most patients the symptoms of bronchial asthma preceded the diagnosis of diabetes mellitus by a few years. All these cases were heterogeneous in terms of the duration of the diseases, clinical picture, and therapeutical approaches. In patients with bronchial asthma the existence of diabetes mellitus type 2 was not related to use of glikocorticosteroids. Patients in whom the coexistence of bronchial asthma and diabetes mellitus type 2 was found should be subjects of further studies to extend our knowledge of patomechanism of these diseases.