title: The clinical pattern of renal diseases in the nephrology in-patient unit of the Yaounde General Hospital in Cameroon: a five-year audit.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Kidney diseases are a growing worldwide problem and one of the major public health threats. We analyzed the spectrum of kidney diseases seen over a five-year period in the nephrology in-patient unit of the Yaounde general hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a retrospective analysis of 225 medical records of patients admitted from January 2005 to December 2009 in the unit with a discharge diagnosis of kidney and urinary tract diseases. The first hospitalization was considered for patients admitted several times for the same disease. Socio-demographic and clinical patient data were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The patients mean age was 44.8±16 years with 135 (60%) males and 211 (93.8%) emergency admissions. All 139 (61.8%) patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) had chronic renal failure. Acute kidney injury (AKI) (28%), nephrotic syndrome (7.6%), renal colic (1.3%) and acute pyelonephritis (1.3%) were other patterns observed. Chronic glomerulonephritis (25.9%), hypertension (22.3%) and diabetes (20.1%) were the main etiological factors of CKD. All AKI patients were in stage RIFLE-F. AKI was secondary to parenchymal (58.7%), functional (25.4%) and obstructive (15.9%) etiologies. Black water fever (36.4%), sepsis (22.7%), drugs (18.2%), eclampsia (13.6%) and herbal concoctions (9.1%) were the etiologies of acute tubular necrosis while enterocolitis (56.2%), heart failure (31.3%) and digestive hemorrhage (12.5%) were the etiologies of functional AKI.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The clinical pattern of renal diseases is dominated by advanced CKD and AKI secondary to preventable causes. This study suggests a need for an array of actions including sensitization, continuous medical education and strengthening of the health system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Specialties, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences & Yaounde General Hospital, University of Yaounde 1, Yaounde, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Francois Folefack
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Kaze
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Specialties, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences & Yaounde General Hospital, University of Yaounde 1, Yaounde, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Forbin Elias
authors.initials: FE
authors.lastname: Ekokobe
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences & Douala General Hospital, University of Douala, Douala, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Marie Patrice
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Halle
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Specialties, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences & Douala Hospital, University of Yaounde 1, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Hermine
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fouda
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Specialties, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences & Yaounde General Hospital, University of Yaounde 1, Yaounde, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Alain Patrick
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Menanga
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Specialties, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences & Yaounde General Hospital, University of Yaounde 1, Yaounde, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Gloria
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ashuntantang
mesh_terms: D058186:Acute Kidney Injury / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002163:Cameroon / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006769:Hospitals, General; D006801:Humans; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D051436:Renal Insufficiency, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Cameroon; Kidney diseases; Sub-Saharan Africa; clinical pattern