[Clinical study of diabetes mellitus in hospital practice in Northern Rwanda (apropos of 86 case reports)].

Records of 86 patients in Ruhengeri Hospital North of Rwanda (east Africa) during nine months, revealed that diabetes was present in about 4% of all these patients. First of all, malnutrition was noted in about 9% of these diabetics. But, features of the diabetes mellitus were usually as described by Sankale as the "Cosmopolitan Diabetes".--67% of all the patients were male persons from 31 to 49 years old--Typical symptoms as: thirst, polyuria and weight loss were noted in most all patients,--Insulin requirement was noted in 65% of the patients,--Only few patients were diabetic for more than 10 years,--Neuropathy, retinopathy were usually shown,--17.5% of the patients had abnormally high blood pressure (Hypertension). Diabetes mellitus cannot be considered as a preferred share in Africa but malnutrition and obesity, at the opposite side of the nutritional spectrum, are the striking originality of this disease in developing countries.