Epidemiological aspects of diabetes in Cameroon: what is the role of tropical diabetes?

Diabetes is a worldwide public health problem made more acute in Africa by low socio-economic standards. Cases with an unusual clinical course are frequent and probably related to tropical diabetes, a syndrome that has not yet been precisely defined. This study reports the results of a prospective study carried out in Cameroon on 550 diabetic patients attending the Yaounde Central Hospital who were followed between December 1990 and July 1994.

[Diabetes in Cameroon. Classification difficulties in Africa].

Diabetes is a major health problem in Africa where management is complicated by poor socioeconomic conditions. Atypical presentations of diabetes appear to be common in tropical countries although there is still little accurate data in this regard. We describe 550 diabetic patients treated in Cameroon between December 1990 and July 1994.