Contribution to the Study of Diabetic Kidney Disease in a Sub-Saharan Environment: An Example of the Aristide Le Dantec University Hospital in Dakar

Abstract

Introduction: Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a leading cause of chronic kidney disease and dialysis admission. Few studies are available in Sub-Saharan Africa. The objective of this work was to study the epidemiological, clinical, diagnostic and therapeutic characteristics of DKD in our context. Patients and Methods: We conducted an observational, exhaustive and retrospective study focusing on diabetic patients seen in consultation or hospitalized in the Nephrology Department of at the Aristide Le Dantec University Hospital in Dakar during a period of 5 years from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2021. Results: Of 4735 patients seen during the study period, 491 had DKD, i.e. a hospital prevalence of 10.36%. The average age was 59.1 ± 11.4 years with a sex ratio of 0.95. Type 2 diabetes predominated with 93.4%. The average duration of diabetes was 11.5 ± 7.6 years. Diabetes was associated with high blood pressure in 78.81% of cases, dyslipidemia in 23.2% of cases, active smoking in 6.7% of cases and obesity in 1.6% of cases. Renal failure was the main reason for referral 72.3%. One hundred and forty-eight patients (30.1%) had uncontrolled diabetes. Macroalbuminuria was found in 64.8% and microalbuminuria in 18.7% of cases. One hundred and eighty-five patients (37.7%) were in Stage V of kidney disease and 137 patients were in Stage III (18.1% in Stage IIIb and 9.8% in Stage IIIa). Diabetic nephropathy was the main etiology at 61.30%. Nephropathy was mixed (diabetic and hypertensive) in 18.12 cases. Renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) blockers were prescribed in 83.5% of patients. Conclusion: The different etiologies encountered during the study show the diversity of diabetic kidney disease. Diabetic nephropathy is not the only kidney damage that can occur in diabetics in our context.