Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Diabetes is a major public health problem with a growing prevalence and heavy socio-economic impact. Its severity is closely linked to the complications it can cause, which can be prevented when detected early. The aim of this study was to assess the epidemiological and clinico-biological profile of patients with degenerative complications of type 2 diabetes in our department.

Methods: This was a prospective study that included all type 2 diabetic patients with at least one degenerative complication and who have come to our department for the first time between the months of September and November 2023. Epidemiological, clinical, and paraclinical data were collected from medical records and supplemented by patient bedside interviews.

Results: We included 101 patients; the average age was 68 years old. Two-thirds of the patients were men; hypertension and dyslipidemia were observed in 77.2%, obesity was present in 29.7%. The median duration of diabetes progression was 20 years. The average glycated hemoglobin (Hba1c) level was 9% and the mean fasting blood glucose level was 1.84 g/l. The majority of patients were on insulin therapy accounting for 52 %. Microangiopathies were found in 81.88% of patients while macroangiopathies were present in 80.2%, with a predominance of ischemic heart diseases at 56.43%. Eighty-seven percent of patients had unstructured follow-up with at least one consultation per year. There is a correlation between the age of diabetes, glycemic control and the onset of degenerative complications in type 2 diabetes.

Conclusion: Monitoring and screening for complications would help prevent degenerative effects of diabetes. The elements predisposing individuals to complications are likely still unknown and constitute a research avenue.