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Pattern of some diabetic complications in African diabetic patients in Dar es Salaam
(University of Dar es Salaam, 1976) Mhando, Peter A.
It is recognized now that the occurrence of diabetes in Tanzania and in East Africa as a whole is not as rare as it was previously contended. To date there has been no comprehensive study on the pattern of the disease in Tanzania. The purpose of this study was to review the pattern of diabetic complications in African diabetics in Dar es Salaam using standard methods and to study the significance of various risk factors in the development of these complications. It was found that in a series of 122 African diabetics, 75.4 per cent had at least one complication. The prevalence of retinopathy was 43.4 per cent, peripheral neuropathy 33.3 per cent, hypertension 25.4 per cent, and renal disease 15.6 per cent. Ischaemic heart disease was detected by standardized history or electrocardiography in 13.1 per cent of patients. Cerebralvascular disease and peripheral vascular disease including foot gangrene were found to be rare. The prevalence of complications showed no relationship to the quantity of control of diabetes but were positively related to age and, excepting ischaemic heart disease, to the duration of the disease. Obesity showed no correlation with any complication. The pattern of these complications and associated risk factors are discussed in relation to observations made in other African countries and elsewhere.