The diabetic foot in Cameroon

Abstract A five-month long study has been conducted in the unit of Endocrinal and Metabolic diseases of the Yaounde Central Hospital, at the National Centre for Diabetes and Hypertension and at the Baptiste d'Eloug-ebe Health Centre. After giving their consent, all diabetic patients were included whether or not they presented with diabetic foot 300 patients were included, 278 suffering from a type 2 diabetes, MIF sex-ratio: 1.2 mean age: 55 +/- 12 years. The global prevalence of the diabetic foot was found to be as high as 13% (n=39), ranging from 25.6% (inpatient) to 11.1 % (outpatients). The mean age for patients presenting with a diabetic foot was 57 +/- 9 years. A type 2 diabetes was diagnosed in 38 of those patients. Most patients had grade 0 (43.6%) or grade 1 (30.8%) lesions, according to the Wagner classification. None presented with grade 5 lesions. A strong correlation between the following risk factors and the evidence of a diabetic foot was noticed, with regard to: an history of foot ulcer (p < 0.0001), a neuropathy revealed by the graduated tuning fork (p < 0.005), foot deformations (p < 0.05), a neuropathy revealed by the monofilament 10-g (p < 0.03). Few patients ever had a foot examination: 14% (n=42). Diabetes mellitus, a non transmissible disease, is a world-wide epidemic, especially in developing countries (Africa, Asia), the diabetic foot being one of the most severe and frequent complication. Its cost is among the highest of the diabetes chronic complications. The struggle against that burden relies upon the prevention (education of patients and care givers, early detection of the lesions) and upon a multidisciplinary approach and treatment. In sub-Saharan Africa and especially in Cameroon, emphasis must be put on education of both patients and care givers.