Diabetic Neuropathy in Black Sub-Saharian Africa Subject: Clinical and Electromyographic Fealures

Diabetic neuropathy occurs in more than 60% of diabetic’s populations. The aim of our study wasto describe clinical and electromyography characteristics of diabetic neuropathy in a Senegalese black diabetic population (Senegal). This was a cross-sectional study of 68 neuropathic type 2 diabetic patients with 56.8years mean age. Clinical examination, Visual Analog Scale, Neuropathy Symptom Score, Disability Neuropathy Score and electro neuromyography were used to characterize neuropathy. Mean duration of diabetes was 8.7 years and mean glycosylated hemoglobin9%. Motor neuron deficit was found in one patient. The main sensory disorders were paresthesia (97%), neuropathic pain (94%), and hyperesthesia (44%). Cramps were found in 45.5% and tendon reflex abnormalities in 63.2% of cases. Tachycardia (52.9%), intestinal transit disorders (42.6%) were the most common symptom of autonomic nervous system neuropathy. High blood pressure (p=0.05) and sex (p 0.05). Diabetic neuropathy in our series is a multi variate symptom with usually mixed type. Its risks’ factors were still poorly known. Studies on larger series would better characterize it.