[Menopause in Africa].

Menopause occurs earlier in African women than European or American women. Multiple parity in a short period of time is the main reason. The myths and beliefs about this stage of life of the African woman are largely unknown.

[Emergence of terminal diabetic nephropathy in insulin-dependent diabetes in young Black Africans: report of five cases from Dakar].

The authors have reported five cases of end stage diabetic nephropathy. Thi growing disease has began to reduce vital prognosis of Black african insulin independent diabetic. So, economic and social problem for their resolution (hemodialysis, kidney graft) is going to appear.

[Pheochromocytoma in Africa: rarity, gravity and ectopy].

Pheochromocytoma is one of the main curable etiologies of high blood pressure, although its diagnosis and therapeutic management can be problematical: an incorrect diagnosis or inappropriate treatment may lead to fatal complications. This disease was exceptionally uncommon in the 1950s, and 30 years later about 30 cases had been reported; however, since 1981 there has been a progressive increase in the incidence of pheochromocytoma (48 documented cases in Africa). In Africa, this disease has two particular characteristics: the gravity of the clinical symptoms, mainly due to the physiological and pharmacological effects of catecholamines which as a result of this disease are stored and liberated at very high rates; and the ectopic site in a number of cases.

[Main complications of diabetes mellitus in Africa].

In Africa, a rise in complications of diabetes mellitus has gone in hand with the growing disease prevalence, clearly demonstrating the importance of assessing complications. Diabetes mellitus constitutes a major financial burden in developing countries in Africa with relatively limited resources. Ketoacidosis is observed in 24% of juvenile diabetes and is the inaugural sign in 76% of all cases, progressing to coma in 34%.

[Sheehan's syndrome: experience in Africa].

Ischemic necrosis of the antehypophysis is still observed in developing countries. Its prevalence is unknown, but a significant number of the patients are young women. Traditions of home delivery and lack of obstetrical facilities are the main risk factors.

[Diabetic retinopathy in Dakar and review of African literature: epidemiologic elements].

Literature review shows that in the African Sub-Sahara, prevalence of diabetic retinopathy is between 15 and 52%, the main age being the fifties (between 45.5 and 53.25 years in our cases); after 5 years of diabetes evolution (8.

[Pernicious anemia: the African experience (3 cases reports)].

We report three cases of pernicious anemia diagnosed in women in Africa. All three women had macrocytic anemia with megaloblasts evident on medullogram. The patients had neurological signs of combined sclerosis and the presence of megaloblasts confirmed the diagnosis of pernicious anemia.

[Hyperthyroidism and diabetes mellitus: analysis of 10 African cases].

This retrospective study of 10 patients with hyperthyroidisma and diabetes mellitus concerned 8 women and 2 men, aged from 15 to 77 years. The two disease developed at the same time in 8 cases. Diabetes mellitus occurred first in 2 cases.

[Diabetes mellitus in sub-saharan Africa].

Diabetes mellitus is becoming more common in African cities, where it may affect up to 7% of the hospital population. It particularly affects poor male patients and 73 to 80% of those affected have non insulin-dependent diabetes. The frequency of non-obese, poorly cetogenic patients is high in Sub-Saharan Africa.

[Hypercholesterolemia in diabetes in Dakar. Sociodemographic and etiological factors and therapeutic bases].

This study took place between January and September 1996. The inclusion criteria was a blood cholesterol concentration of at least 2.5 g/l.

[Hyperthyroidism in people over 50 years of age in Senegal. Study of 31 cases observed over a 14-year period].

Purpose: Though common in elderly, with poor and masked symptomatology, hyperthyroidism has never been studied in people older than 50 years of age in African countries.

Methods: Of the 300 cases of hyperthyroidism that were observed during this study, 31 belonged to this category. We analyzed the frequency of various parameters, demographic characteristics, motivation for consulting, thyrotoxic syndrome, non thyrotoxic signs, cardiac manifestations, hormonal and scintigraphic characteristics, etiology and etiologic factors, and treatment.

[Thyrotoxic neuromyopathies].

Chronic thyreotoxic neuromyopathy was observed in four patients. The first two cases were observed in a 43-year-old woman and a 60-year-old man. In the man, muscle disorders were the first manifestation and in the woman they were preceded by Graves' hyperthyroidism.

[Clinical characteristics of primary hypothyroidism in Dakar. Apropos of 37 cases].

Primary hypothyroidism, other than cases of endemic goiter, has rarely been described in Africa. We conducted a retrospective study of the patients admitted to our hospital unit between 1985 and 1996. The inclusion criteria were clinical signs of hypothyroidism and low levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone.

[Apropos of three cases of Turner's syndrome].

The authors report 3 cases of Turner's syndrome. These rare observations in Africans are the opportunity to give clinical and cytogenetic characteristics of Turner's syndrome. The importance of molecular biology in this disease is emphasized.

[Basedow's disease and pregnancy in a black African population. Epidemiology and interrelations in 51 pregnancies].

Forty one patients with 51 pregnancies form the basis of this study of etiological factors and reciprocal effects of pregnancy and thyrotoxicosis. Pregnancy influences the course of thyrotoxicosis and may modify its diagnostic aspects, clinical course, variations in laboratory parameters and treatment. The effect of thyrotoxicosis on pregnancy may lead to abortions, premature labour and/or toxemia.

[Diabetic pregnancy in Senegal (years 1980 to 1989)].

Introduction And Objectives: Diabetic Pregnancy Prognosis in Seventies is it better in Eighties because of Patient Education?

Methodology: Retrospectively, since 1980 to 1989, in Women in status to breed, Diabetic Pregnancy was screened in our Department. W.H.