Patients with complicated diabetes mellitus treated at the provincial referral clinic. Lobatse, Botswana, 2024-2025

Abstract

Background: diabetes mellitus represents a health emergency in Southern Africa. In Botswana, the prevalence is 6.5 %, with an increase in chronic complications due to delayed diagnosis.

Objective: to characterize, from a clinical and epidemiological perspective, patients with complicated diabetes mellitus seen at the provincial clinic in Lobatse (2024–2025).

Methods: a descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted at the diabetes clinic of Athlone District Hospital, Lobatse, from September 2024 to January 2025. From a total population of 400 patients, a purposive sample of 120 individuals with complicated diabetes—referred from primary care—was selected. The variables analyzed included age, sex, body mass index, treatment, comorbidities, glycated hemoglobin, levels, and complications. Descriptive statistics were used.

Results: females predominated 68.3 %; (82 patients), as did the age group of 50 years and older 71.6 %; (86 patients). Overweight and obesity were present in 81.6 % (98 patients), with a higher prevalence among women. The most common comorbidity was arterial hypertension 73.3 %; (88 patients). Poor glycemic control (HbA1c >9 %) was observed in 70.8 % (85 patients). Complications included chronic kidney disease (38.3 %; 46 patients), amputation/diabetic foot 25.8 %; (31 patients), and diabetic ketoacidosis 21.6 %; (26 patients).

Conclusions: in Lobatse, complicated diabetes primarily affects women over the age of 50 who are obese and hypertensive, exhibit poor metabolic control, and have a high frequency of chronic kidney disease and amputations.