[Frequency of microalbuminuria during diabetes in Dakar, Senegal].

Nephropathy is one of the complications occuring during diabetes and it is diagnosed via microalbuminuria. From 1992 to 1999, five hundred and eighty seven (587) diabetic patients were recruited and distributed into two groups, A (n = 270) and B (n = 317). Microalbuminuria was determined by immunonephelemetry for group A and immunoturbidimetry for group B. The results showed respectively 15.5% and 20.19% pathological cases in the two groups (NS). Considering the distribution of patients with microalbuminuria according to the type of diabetes, there were 16.12% type 1 and 15.07% type 2 in group A against 22.60% and 18.13% in group B; no statistically significant differences were observed either in the same group or from one group to another. These frequencies might reflect the situation in the nineties; they are lower than those encountered in other populations. Nevertheless monitoring is needed through a regular schedule to prevent nephropathy.