Impact of secondary foot complications on the inpatient department of the diabetes unit of Yaounde Central Hospital.

Diabetic foot ulceration and gangrene are preventable long-term complications of diabetes mellitus. This cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate the impact of secondary foot complications on hospital admission and activities of the diabetes service of Yaoundé Central Hospital (YCH). A total of 207 patient files were included in this study, the period of which was from November 1999 to October 2000, 1 year of activity of the inpatient department of the Diabetes and Endocrine Unit of YCH. General characteristics of the patients were considered, the reason for their admission, the duration of their hospitalization in the service, and the outcome. The diabetic foot problem was the second most common cause of hospital admission in 27 (13%) patients. Secondary foot complication was the associated cause of mortality in 19.3% of cases of death (6 out of 31) in this study. The highest duration of hospitalization was recorded in patients with foot problems (29.4+/-5.4 days), the finding being statistically significant. Foot problems accounted for 0.25% of bed occupancy for the selected period. Five patients underwent amputation because of foot problems. A high rate of hospital discharge upon request was recorded among patients with foot problems (25% of the cases). This study suggests that diabetic foot is the second biggest cause of hospital admission in this setting; however, it is the main cause of prolonged hospital stay and bed occupancy.