Characteristics of renal disease and other comorbidities in adult hypertensives in Burkina Faso.

In the aim to determine the importance of renal disease in hypertensives (B P>160/95 mmHg), we conducted a retrospective study in Burkina Faso, a black african country. 342 adults hypertensive (200 men, 142 women, mean age: 50 .6+/-13.8 years) hospitalized in the departments of Cardiology or Internal medicine from January 1995 to December 1997 were included. Patients were at their first hospital stay in 273 cases (79.8%). When techn ical conditions were available, assessments were systematicaly done. Blood pressure was 183.6+/-36.4/11 3.3+/-23.1 mmHg. Total morbidity concerned 316 patients (92.4%). Cardiovascular complications (CVC) have been diagnosed i n 236 patients (69%) with a mean age of 51.6+/-14 y, neurologic complicatio ns (NC) in 85 patients (24.9%, mean age: 55.7+/-12) and renal disease (RD) in 123 patients (36%; mean age: 44.+/-14.5 y). Mean age of single RD (n: 27, mean age: 39.5+/-12.8 y) was significantly lo wer than no complicated hypertensives (n: 42, mean age: 48.2+/-11.6 y) or s ingle CVC (n: 104, mean age: 55+/-12.5) or single NC (n: 34, mean age: 55.1 +/-11.1) or associated comorbidities (n: 135, mean age: 49.1+/-14.5). Patie nts under 40 years of age have had higher 24 hours proteinuria than other p atients (1.05+/-1.17 g (n: 51)vs 0.45+/-0.68 (n: 170), p<0.01). Chronic ren al failure occured in youngest patients (n: 72, age: 39.7+/-13.4 vs 53.7+/- 12.3; p<0.01) with a most high prevalence in rural (31.6%) than urban patie nts (15.8%; p<0.01). End stage renal failure concerned 49 patients (mean ag e: 35.9+/-12.7). 27 patients died during hospital stay by renal failure in 17 cases (mean age: 37+/-11), CVC in 5 cases (mean age: 68.6+/-8) and NC in 5 cases (mean age: 60.2+/-9.2). Among survivals, 72 patients (28.9%) were of a bad short-term prognosis and 38 had end stage renal failure. In conclusion, our data suggest that renal disease will be common cause of hypertension and also a selective factor for long term survival of hyperten sives in a country where renal replacement therapy is not available.