Epidemiological and Clinical Profile of Patients Undergoing Primary Nephrological Consultation at the Fousseyni DAOU Hospital in Kayes, Mali

Abstract

Introduction: The first nephrological consultation is often late, even in developed countries. This delay is related to the insidious nature of renal disease, the lack of qualified personnel and structures for the management of these conditions and the context of chronic insecurity in our country. In Kayes, there is no data related to the first consultations of patients with the nephrologist, hence the interest of this study, which aimed to describe the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of patients undergoing a first nephrological consultation in Kayes hospital. Materials and methods: This was a retrospective, descriptive study conducted from January 1 to December 31, 2020 at the nephrology unit of the Fousseyni DAOU hospital in Kayes. All patients received for nephrological consultation for whom a medical record was made were included. The following data were collected and analyzed: the specialty of the medical referent, the reason for consultation, sociodemographic characteristics and the renal assessment of patients. Patients who consulted for non-nephrological pathologies and those who had no medical record were not included. Results: We collected the records of 346 patients, composed of 180 (52%) women and 166 (48%) men, i.e. a sex ratio of 0.92. The age group [20 - 40 years] was the most represented, 107 cases or 30.9%, with a mean age of 48.84 ± 21.33 years and extremes of 1 and 90 years. Housewives were the most consulted population, 149 cases (41.33%). Patients consulted more between the months of January and February, 116 cases (33.5%), this period was followed by the months of October-December, July-September and April-June with respectively 94 cases (27.2%), 76 cases (22.0%) and 60 cases (17.3%). The patients were referred by the general practitioner in 59.5% (209 cases), specialist doctor, 26.0% (90 cases). The patients came mainly from hospital practitioners, 172 cases (49.7%), private clinic and practice 81 cases (23.4%), community health center (CSCOM), 69 cases (19.9%). The main reasons for consultation were hypercreatinemia 205 cases (59.2%), low back pain 46 cases (13.3%) and edematous syndrome 16 cases (4.6%). The mean blood pressure was 140/80 mmHg with extremes of 70 and 240 mmHg for systolic and 40 and 160 mmHg for diastolic. Mean creatinine was 660.53 μmol/l ± 821.311 with extremes of 46 and 5447 μmol/l. Patients transferred from the emergency department had a creatinine level above 700 μmol/l in 41.1% (39) of cases (p = 0.003 Person’s Chi-square = 8643 ddl = 1). Among the 316 patients who had a blood count, anemia was found in 221 (69.9%) and the mean hemoglobin level was 9.61 g/dl ± 3.11 with extremes of 1.70 g/dl and 19.56 g/dl. The diagnostic hypotheses evoked were acute renal failure (124 cases, i.e. 38.5%), chronic renal failure (81 cases, i.e. 23.7%). Conclusion: Primary nephrological consultation is more solicited by general practitioners. The consultations, often in the emergency room, were motivated by significant hypercreatinemia. Awareness of the nursing staff, the patients and the political authorities are necessary to encourage nephrological consultations at an early stage of the renal disease.