title: [Diabetic retinopathy and diabetic foot syndrome in patients of a sub-Saharan megacity (Kinshasa, DR Congo)].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The prevalence of diabetes mellitus is increasing worldwide especially in developing countries. Foot ulcerations in patients with diabetic neuropathy have a high impact in the overall amputation rate. In the present study we looked for the severity of diabetic retinopathy in patients with diabetic foot syndrome in a diabetic care unit in a sub-Sahara megacity (Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo).
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-one patients with diabetes-related foot ulcerations (26 male, 15 female, mean age 45.6 years) were enrolled in the study. All patients underwent visual acuity evaluation and slit lamp biomicroscopy. Incidence and stage of retinopathy were evaluated by retinal funduscopy and documented by fundus photography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-seven eyes showed no signs of diabetic retinopathy. Forty-seven eyes were diagnosed as non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (16 mild, 16 moderate, 15 severe). Seven eyes showed proliferative diabetic retinopathy. One patient had a unilateral central venous occlusion. In this case the classification of diabetic retinopathy was not possible because of the massive retinal bleedings.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It was evident that there is a considerable discrepancy between partly extensive foot ulcerations and only mild to moderate diabetic retinopathy in most of the patients. This indicates that neuropathy-induced foot problems and microangiopathy-induced diabetic retinopathy are diabetic complications whose formal pathogenesis is only loosely correlated. Additional risk factors in local African conditions compared to Europe may play a major role in this discrepancy.
authors.affiliation: Augenklinik, Universitätsmedizin Rostock. SteffiKN74@gmx.de
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Knappe
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stoll
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Bambi
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kilangalanga
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Guthoff
mesh_terms: D015897:Comorbidity; D015023:Democratic Republic of the Congo / Q000453:epidemiology; D017719:Diabetic Foot / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*