[Prevalence of diabetic retinopathy at the Dakar University Hospital Center]

The aim of the study is to appreciate the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy among senegalese patients in analyzing age of diagnosis, duration of diabetes, plasma glucose and type of retinopathy. 129 diabetics followed and treated in the diabetic center of internal medicine clinic (Dakar University) were examined by 90 degrees Volk's lens. A determination of plasma c peptide and glucose concentration were performed. 55 (mean age 224. +/- 0.9 years) were insulino-dependent and 74 (mean age of 54.7 +/- 11.4 years) non insulinodependent. On average the duration of diabetes was 5.4 years +/- 5.4 for the former and 6.07 +/- 5.7 for the latter with respectively glucose plasma average 2.60 g/l +/- 0.7 and 1.7 g/l +/- 0.83. Retinopathy was found in 29 patients. So total prevalence was 22.48%, shared in 29.7% for non insulino-dependant and 12.7% for insulino-dependent. In 7 cases the retinopathy was proliferative and non proliferative in 22 cases essentially among non insulino-dependant diabetics. The diabetic retinopathy is one of handicaping complications of diabetics. Its prevalence is strongly linked to the duration of diabetes, glycaemic control and to other risk factors (genetics, glycosylated hemoglobin and high blood pressure).